Presented by WGBH in association with the Lowell Institute
Alphabetical listing of partners:
Bentley University is a national leader in business education. Centered on education and research in business and related professions, Bentley blends the breadth and technological strength of a university with the values and student focus of a small college. Our undergraduate curriculum combines business study with a strong foundation in the arts and sciences. A broad array of offerings at the McCallum Graduate School emphasize the impact of technology on business practice, including MBA and Master of Science programs, PhD programs in accountancy and in business, and selected executive programs. Enrolling approximately 4,000 full-time undergraduate, 250 adult part-time undergraduate, and 1,270 graduate students, Bentley is located in Waltham, Mass., minutes west of Boston and online at www.bentley.edu.
Bentley University is a national leader in business education. Centered on education and research in business and related professions, Bentley blends the breadth and technological strength of a university with the values and student focus of a small college. Our undergraduate curriculum combines business study with a strong foundation in the arts and sciences. A broad array of offerings at the McCallum Graduate School emphasize the impact of technology on business practice, including MBA and Master of Science programs, PhD programs in accountancy and in business, and selected executive programs. Enrolling approximately 4,000 full-time undergraduate, 250 adult part-time undergraduate, and 1,270 graduate students, Bentley University is located in Waltham, Mass., minutes west of Boston and online at www.bentley.edu.
The Boston Athenaeum, one of the oldest and most distinguished independent libraries in the United States, was founded in 1807 by members of the Anthology Society, a group of fourteen Boston gentlemen who had joined together in 1805 to edit The Monthly Anthology and Boston Review. Their purpose was to form "an establishment similar to that of the Athenaeum and Lyceum of Liverpool in Great Britain; combining the advantages of a public library [and] containing the great works of learning and science in all languages." The library and Art Gallery, established in 1827, were soon flourishing, and grew rapidly, both by purchase of books and art and by frequent gifts. For nearly half a century the Athenaeum was the unchallenged center of intellectual life in Boston, and by 1851 had become one of the five largest libraries in the United States. Today its collections comprise over half a million volumes, with particular strengths in Boston history, New England state and local history, biography, English and American literature, and the fine and decorative arts. The Athenaeum supports a dynamic art gallery, and sponsors a lively variety of events such as lectures and concerts. It also serves as a stimulating center for discussions among scholars, bibliophiles, and a variety of community interest groups.
Boston College is a coeducational university with an enrollment of 8,900 undergraduate and 4,600 graduate students representing every state and more than 95 countries. Founded in 1863, it is one of the oldest Jesuit, Catholic universities in the United States. US News & World Report ranks Boston College 38th among national universities.
Founded in 1848, the Boston Public Library (BPL) was the first large free municipal library in the United States.† The present Copley Square location has been home to the Library since 1895, when architect Charles Follen McKim completed his "palace for the people." Between 1870 and 1900, twenty-two additional Branches began serving communities throughout Boston's diverse neighborhoods. In 1972 the Library expanded its Copley Square location with the opening of an addition designed by Philip Johnson. Today, the McKim building houses the BPL's vast research collection and the Johnson building holds the circulating collection of the general library and serves as headquarters for the Boston Public Library's 26 branch libraries. In addition to its 6.1 million books, the library boasts over 1.2 million rare books and manuscripts, a wealth of maps, musical scores and prints. Among its large collections, the BPL holds several first edition folios by William Shakespeare, original music scores from Mozart to Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf;" and, in its rare book collection, the personal library of John Adams. Over 2.2 million patrons visit the BPL each year, many in pursuit of research material, others looking for an afternoon's reading, still others for the magnificent and unique art and architecture.
The Cambridge Forum has been providing free public forums with our nation's foremost scholars, authors and thinkers for thirty-five years and is one of public radio's longest running public affairs programs. Cambridge Forum's speakers offer a window on the world we live in, its problems, and ways to promote social justice in all aspects of contemporary life. Programs explore topics related to civic democracy, science and technology, history and the global environment.
The Center for New Words is committed to a simple mission: use the power and creativity of words to strengthen the voice of progressive and marginalized women in society. To accomplish this mission, our programs support diverse womenës engagement with the entire ìword cycle,ì from literacy to blogging to literary writing to opinion-making in the media and other domains of influence. Built on the wisdom, commitments, and competencies of 28 years of running New Words
Bookstore, CNW is creating spaces and places where womenís words matter.
Emerson College is the only comprehensive college or university in the country dedicated exclusively to teaching communication and the visual, media and performing arts in a liberal arts context. Founded in 1880 as a school of oratory, Emerson has evolved into a multi-faceted college that is nationally and internationally recognized for excellence in its fields of specialization, which are communication, communication sciences and disorders, journalism, the performing arts, visual and media arts and writing, literature and publishing. The graduate programs in writing, literature and publishing and in communication sciences and disorders are consistently rated by U.S. News and other organizations as among the best in the country. Emerson College's campus comprises a cluster of downtown buildings and residence halls that overlook historic Boston Common.
Since 1908 the Ford Hall Forum, a nonprofit organization, has dedicated itself to promoting and facilitating public involvement in the open exchange of ideas on issues of public interest through the presentation of programs that engage diverse audiences in discussions and debates. Ford Hall Forum programs are always free, open to the public, and include opportunities for audience members to ask questions and share comments.
The W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research at Harvard University is the nation's oldest research center dedicated to the study of the history, culture, and social institutions of Africans and African Americans. Founded in 1975, the Institute serves as the site for research projects, fellowships for emerging and established scholars, publications, conferences, and working groups. Named after the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard (1895), the Du Bois Institute also sponsors four major lecture series each year and serves as the co-sponsor for numerous public conferences, lectures, readings, and forums.
The Askwith Education Forum, at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is endowed through the generosity of Patricia Askwith Kenner and other members of the Askwith family, and acts as a galvanizing force for debate and conversation about education in its narrowest and broadest perspectives. Each year, the Forum welcomes a number of prominent people from diverse fields to speak about issues relevant to education and children. Recent topics have included immigration, values, affirmative action, education reform, and the arts. All of these events are free and open to the public.
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to the memory of our nation's thirty-fifth president and to all those who through the art of politics seek a new and better world. Our purpose is to advance the study and understanding of President Kennedy's life and career and the times in which he lived; and to promote a greater appreciation of America's political and cultural heritage, the process of governing and the importance of public service. We accomplish our mission by: preserving and making accessible the records of President Kennedy and his times; promoting open discourse on critical issues of our own time; and educating and encouraging citizens to contribute, through public and community service, to shaping our nation's future.
The Massachusetts Cultural Council promotes excellence, access, education and diversity in the arts, humanities and interpretive sciences, in order to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and contribute to the economic vitality of our communities. For more than 30 years, MCC has invested in the cultural life of Massachusetts. The Council receives an annual appropriation from the state legislature. It then makes thousands of grants to non-profit cultural organizations, schools, communities and individuals artists, funding programs that use arts, science and the humanities to build strong, diverse, livable communities. The beneficiaries of these programs comprise a cross-section of the population and citizens in each Massachusetts city and town.
Since 1791 the mission of the Massachusetts Historical Society has been to collect, preserve, and communicate historical information to the widest possible audience. The holdings of the Society comprise over 3,500 separate collections of personal, family, and institutional papers, including more than 2,000 diaries; rare books; photographs; paintings; engravings; maps; and artifacts. Since 1792 the Society has been issuing publications, including scholarly journals, historical monographs, collections of essays, editions of documents, and reference works. The Society also runs seminar series, conferences, lectures, research and educational fellowship programs, and a growing outreach program to K-12 teachers.
MassINC, the state's leading non-profit public policy think tank, is a non-partisan, evidence-based organization. The mission of MassINC is to develop a public agenda for Massachusetts that promotes the growth and vitality of the middle class. We envision a growing, dynamic middle class as the cornerstone of a new commonwealth in which every citizen can live the American Dream. MassINC is a different kind of organization, combining the intellectual rigor of a think tank with the vigorous civic activism of an advocacy campaign. MassINC is also the publisher of CommonWealth magazine. Check out our website for more information.
The MIT Communications Forum has played a unique role at MIT and beyond for more than twenty-five years as a site for cutting-edge discussion of the cultural, political, economic and technological impact of communications, with special emphasis on emerging technologies. Leading scholars, journalists, media producers, political figures and corporate executives have appeared at conferences and panels sponsored by the Forum. Translating specialized or technical perspectives into a discourse accessible to non-specialists is a defining ambition of the Forum. When engineers, scientists, other academics or media practitioners address the Forum, they accept a responsibility to speak in a common language that must be understood and used by literate citizens and professionals in many fields. The Forum's founding director was the late Ithiel de Sola Pool of the MIT Political Science Department, a pioneer in the study of communications. The Forum is funded by contributions from members of the MIT Industrial Liaison Program, other corporations and foundation grants.
The Technology and Culture Forum at MIT sponsors lectures and symposia that address critical issues of our time. The programs explore the role of science and technology in promoting positive social, ecological, and economic change. In addition, they stimulate discussion about the ethical implications of scientific discovery and technological innovation.
The Museum of African American History was founded to preserve and interpret the contributions of people of African descent and those who have found common cause with them in the struggle for liberty and justice for all Americans. Through permanent and rotating exhibits, a wide range of public and education programs ranging from debates to concerts, and summer youth camps to Underground Railroad Overnight Adventures, it places the African American experience in an accurate social, cultural and historical perspective. Incorporated in 1967, the Museum is nationally and internationally known for The African Meeting House, a National Historic Landmark, and Abiel Smith School on Boston's Beacon Hill, The African Meeting House on Nantucket, and Black Heritage Trails® in Boston and Nantucket.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is one of the great art museums of the world. The MFA houses approximately 350,000 objects including some of the world's greatest collections of 19th-century French paintings, American paintings, English and French silver, prints and drawings, Egyptian art, American decorative arts, Asian art, and photographs. The Museum also hosts a variety of lectures, films, musical performances and an array of activities for families throughout the year.
One of the world's largest science centers, the Museum of Science, Boston attracts 1.6 million visitors a year through vibrant programs and over 550 interactive exhibits. Its mission is to stimulate interest in and further understanding of science and technology and their importance for individuals and society. Other features include the Thomson Theater of Electricity; Current Science & Technology Center; Charles Hayden Planetarium; Gilliland Observatory; and Mugar Omni Theater. The Museum's exhibit plan, Science Is an Activity, has been awarded several National Science Foundation grants and profoundly influenced exhibit development at other major science centers.
The Institute on Race and Justice at Northeastern University engages in research and scholarship that examines the influence of race on important questions of social justice. Directed by Jack McDevitt, Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Research, the Institute.s primary goal is to conduct nationally recognized research on the structural causes of racial injustice specifically, within the institutions of criminal justice and education. The Institute is founded on a sociological research model designed to incorporate traditional interdisciplinary-based research methodologies with a community-based problem solving approach. Our mission is to provide rigorous and objective information and resources that can be used by community members to make policy changes that advance the cause of social justice.
The New England Aquarium's mission is to increase understanding of
aquatic life and environments, to enable people to act to conserve
the world of water, and to provide leadership for the preservation
and sustainable use of aquatic resources. A biannual Lowell Lecture
series, a World of Water Film Festival, and an Environmental
Writers' Festival are educational outreach programs the Aquarium
offers free to the public thanks to Lowell Institute support.
The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) is a weekly general medical journal that publishes new medical research findings, review articles, and editorial opinion on a wide variety of topics of importance to biomedical science and clinical practice. Material is published with an emphasis on internal medicine and specialty areas including allergy and immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, kidney disease, oncology, pulmonary disease, rheumatology, HIV, and infectious diseases. The New England Journal of Medicine is owned, published, and copyrighted by the Massachusetts Medical Society.
Since it was built in 1729, the Old South Meeting House has been a gathering place for debates, discussion, revolution and celebration. Today, this nonprofit museum and National Historic Landmark continues its tradition of free speech and assembly through a full spectrum of thought provoking programs for all ages. Located in the heart of downtown Boston, the Old South Meeting House is an important resource for more than 80,000 children, parents, teachers, visitors and citizens each year. Through museum exhibits, educational programs and collaborations, the Old South Meeting House stands as a living symbol of our country's quest for freedom and justice.
The Peabody Essex Museum is America’s oldest continuously operating museum.
It was founded in 1799, sixteen years after the establishment of the nation and nearly three-quarters of a century before the founding of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The museum’s founders were among America's first global entrepreneurs, traveling the world in search of trade. The collections they amassed are exceptional for their provenance, age, quality, and significance. The Peabody Essex Museum’s collections-many ranking among the finest of their kind-exceed 2.4 million works of art and culture. Peabody Essex collections also encompass twenty-four historic buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, five National Register buildings, and our most recent architecture acquisition, Yin Yu Tang, the only complete Qing Dynasty house located outside China.
Established in Boston in 1970, the Philosophy Foundation is an independent, non-profit educational institution. Using a simple and practical approach, the Foundation offers evening classes and retreats that encourage observation, inquiry and examination of the world's great philosophic traditions as tools for self-discovery. Through its public lectures and symposia, the Foundation upholds a tradition of community outreach to raise the level of discourse on philosophical matters. The Philosophy Foundation offers an Open House every Thursday evening at 7:30 PM at 28 Worcester Lane, Waltham. Contact PF at 781.647.0020 for more information or a brochure.
The Boston Foundation, one of the nationís oldest and largest community foundations, has an endowment of close to $675 million. Last year, the Foundation made grants of $51 million to nonprofit organizations and received gifts of $41 million. The Boston Foundation is made up of 750 separate charitable funds, which have been established by donors either for the general benefit of the community or for special purposes. The Foundation also serves as a civic leader, convener, and sponsor of special initiatives designed to build community. For more information about the Boston Foundation and its grant making, visit www.tbf.org, or call 617-338-1700.
The Boston Globe is the most widely-circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and in the greater New England region. It was founded in 1872 by six Boston businessmen, led by Eben Jordan, who jointly invested $150,000. The first issue was published March 4, 1872 and cost four cents. It was originally a morning daily when it began Sunday publication in 1877. In 1878, The Globe started an afternoon edition called The Boston Evening Globe, which ceased publication in 1979. The Globe is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the New York Times Company. Globe reporters have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their work, one of several the paper has received for its outstanding investigative journalism.
The Bostonian Society’s > mission is to strengthen the fabric of civil society by building meaningful connections to Boston and all Bostonians, past, present, and future, through the creative use of public history. Serving a city with a rich historical legacy, The Bostonian Society illuminates all aspects of Boston's history, the contributions of its citizens, and the strength and continuity of its diverse neighborhoods. The Bostonian Society was founded in 1881 to save the Old State House, Boston's oldest public building (1713) and one of the nation's most historic sites, from demolition. Today, the Society utilizes the Old State House Museum, a research library, and a distinguished collection of artifacts, to provide learning opportunities for local citizens and visitors alike that reflect the cultural complexity of our city.
The Philanthropic Initiative, Inc. (TPI) is a not-for-profit organization offering individuals, foundations, institutions and corporations a disciplined and results-oriented approach to philanthropy. Since it was founded in 1989, TPI has helped hundreds of donors to have an impact on some of society's most complex challenges through strategic philanthropy. TPI encourages a positive climate for philanthropy and actively promotes giving though its work with community foundations, Regional Associations of Grantmakers and others.TPI has researched and developed grants initiatives targeting a wide range of issue areas, including education; diversity; issues affecting children, youth and families; hunger and nutrition; housing and homelessness; community and economic development; environmental issues; and the arts. Strategy, combined with the values and passionate concerns of donors, brings about giving that makes a difference in society and in lives. It is philanthropy that can move donors toward a deeper understanding of the issues they care about and guide them through the demanding process of creating meaningful change.
UMass Boston is the only public university in Boston with an enrollment of 13,000 students. Located on Boston Harbor, the university offers 73 undergraduate degree programs, 44 master's degree programs, 11 doctoral programs and 14 certificate programs through its five colleges and Division of Corporate, Continuing and Distance Education. As a key institution in Boston that sponsors 25 Research Centers and Institutes, UMass Boston contributes substantially to public policy discussion and formulation in such areas as economic development, environmental affairs and health care. UMass Boston is integral to the City and its neighborhoods, reaching out through partnerships with the Boston Public Schools, local business and community programs.
Wellesley College has been a leader in liberal arts and the education of women for more than 125 years. The College's 500-acre campus near Boston is home to 2,300 undergraduate students who hail from 50 states and more than 65 countries. Consistently ranked among the top four national liberal arts colleges, Wellesley is widely acknowledged as the preeminent women's college in the nation.
WGBH Lectures is a collection of public talks curated by the WGBH Forum Network from around Boston and the nation, or recorded at the WGBH studios, on a variety of compelling topics. We are proud of the role we serve in our community, of protecting and projecting the public voice; and of informing and inspiring that public voice to foster deeper understanding of and civic engagement in important issues.
Wheaton College is a private liberal arts college that is committed to preparing women and men for leadership roles in a complex and interdependent global society. The college.s 1,500 students come from nearly every state and more than 30 countries. In recent years, its students have earned a number of prestigious academic awards, including a Rhodes, the British Marshall, 14 Fulbrights, five Rotary Ambassadorial scholarships, two Trumans, two James Madison Fellowships and the Udall scholarship.
YWCA Boston is committed to gender equity and racial justice. Throughout its history, the YWCA Boston has been a proud champion of unique and sometimes controversial programs designed to address critical social needs. Through programs, services, and community outreach efforts, the YWCA Boston works to give voice to women and their families, develop leadership skills for community action, and promote civic dialogue to ensure that all people in Boston are treated with dignity and respect.
