The establishment of a Center for the Humanities was identified as one of the desired goals of the strategic plan of the College of Arts and Sciences, under the leadership of Dean Michael Halleran. During 2007-2008, a faculty committee submitted to the Dean a proposal concerning the establishment of such a Center, including suggestions regarding its administration, activities, facilities, and funding.
In fall 2008, Dean Halleran appointed as founding Director, Mihoko Suzuki, Professor of English, and established a faculty advisory committee to determine guidelines for the Center’s programs and activities. During spring 2009, the Center announced its inaugural group of faculty and dissertation fellows.
Over the past decade, the Center has continued to grow, demonstrating a committment to working with campus and community partners to promote scholarship in the humanities. In the summer of 2018, Hugh Thomas, Professor of History and Cooper Fellow, became the Center's second Director, with Professor Suzuki agreeing to continue her service on the Faculty Advisory Board.
The College of Arts and Sciences Center for the Humanities at the University of Miami is the first humanites center in South Florida. The Center is a member of the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes, the National Humanities Alliance, the Florida Humanities Council, and the Florida Digital Humanities Consortium. The Center invites students and faculty to participate in a variety of academic programs such as workshops and fellowships and welcomes the general community to join us for public programs such as BookTalks, the Stanford Distinguished Professors lecture series, and the Edith Bleich Speaker Series.
