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Institute Overview

Director and Core Faculty

Accommodations and Travel

Tentative Schedule

Application Material

National Endowment
for the Humanities

Previous Institutes

The core institute faculty—Peter Crow, Susan Mead, and Dan Woods—have collaborated over the past eight years on an interdisciplinary cluster of general education courses at Ferrum, all of which incorporate Appalachian material. A Professor of History, Dan is interested in the relationship of Appalachian history to United States history, with his research and publication focusing largely on church history. Director of Ferrum’s Service Learning Center and Assistant Professor of Sociology, Susan involves herself in community, feminist, and social justice issues, and she has made several presentations on using literature to teach social issues.

The origin (years ago) of Pete’s interest in Appalachia is a good bear story which he will share with participants who enjoy having their credulity tested. In February 2007, the University of Georgia Press released Do, Die, or Get Along: A Tale of Two Appalachian Towns, based on interviews conducted with twenty-six people associated with Dante and St. Paul, Virginia, edited into an integrated, continuous narrative. Much of Pete’s teaching experience as Professor of English has actually been in world literature. And in May of 2007, his photographer wife and he saw interesting parallels with Appalachia while team-teaching a class that paired Ferrum students with Muslim students in Bradford, England. As institute director, Pete’s role during the institute itself will involve coordinating and immersing himself in scheduled activities, as well as working with Dan and Susan to meet with participants individually at least twice for assistance with their projects.