OCH Programs > Humanity In Perspective

Humanity In Perspective (HIP)

The Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH) and Reed College jointly present a free public program to provide economically and educationally disadvantaged individuals in the Portland-metro area the opportunity to study the humanities in a year-long, college-level course. OCH and Reed undertake this effort in the shared conviction that the humanities provide access to ideas and skills that in fact change people's lives. Through a rigorous encounter with great texts and ideas, the program hopes to foster the intellectual and personal growth of the participants, to further their engagement in civic and community life, and to make it possible for them to choose to continue their education. With a class schedule and support services designed to address their unique needs, the program will allow students to engage with a college-level curriculum without the burdens of financial constraints, childcare, transportation costs, or interference with employment. (Download a sample syllabus.)

In fall 2005, OCH launched a new HIP course at the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution (EOCI) in Pendleton. EOCI has a strong commitment to education and offers GED courses, Adult Basic Education courses, and a few college courses. The offering of HIP at EOCI is based upon the conviction that all individuals, no matter their life history or economic circumstance, can live better as free persons in society once they have the opportunity to explore some of the fundamental questions of human existence through the great literature and ideas of the past and present. OCH and EOCI believe that investing in education programs for inmates not only reduces recidivism but also breaks the cycle of criminality. HIP at EOCI is taught by professors from Eastern Oregon University, Blue Mountain Community College, and Whitman College. (Download a sample syllabus.)

Program Goals

1. To promote the personal and intellectual enrichment of students, thereby preparing them for a richer participation in all aspects of civic, economic, and political life;
2. To create a network of community agents involved in advocating for and providing integral support to low-income and disadvantaged adults who have committed to seeking a college-level education; and
3. To create a bridge between the low-income communities of Portland and the many forms of higher education available in the area.

Program History

Humanity in Perspective is based on the Bard College Clemente Course in the Humanities, an innovative program that began in New York City in 1995 and now operates in several cities nationwide and internationally, in Yucatan, Mexico. The Clemente program was founded by author and poverty activist, Earl Shorris, as described in his books, New American Blues: A Journey Through Poverty to Democracy (Norton, 1996), and Riches for the Poor: The Clemente Course in the Humanities (Norton, 2000). Bard College maintains oversight of the Clemente Course, and also provides supporting funds for the establishment of additional programs around the country. The dissemination project values the innovations of diverse communities seeking enrichment through the humanities.

Community Sponsors

OCH has partnered with a small number of social service and educational organizations to make this program a success in Portland. The role of these organizations, also called community sponsors, is to assist OCH with student recruitment and retention. Community sponsors are committed to:

• Informing their clients about the HIP program.
• Assisting individuals interested in the program with the application process.
• Working with the HIP course director to provide support for the students they recruited who are selected to participate in the course. This helps us to ensure each student's success in the class.

HIP2

HIP2 is a monthly humanities reading and discussion group for graduates of the HIP program. HIP2 gives HIP graduates an opportunity to further their learning in the humanities and to actively participate in the growing intellectual community of HIP alumni. Like HIP, HIP2 promotes the personal and intellectual enrichment of group members and encourages their participation in civic and political life. HIP2 participants read an assigned work of fiction or non-fiction for each session. The sessions are conducted seminar-style, recognizing that the skills of close reading, analysis, and discussion are important tools to developing students' confidence in themselves as citizens, thinkers, and self-advocates. HIP2 participants do not write papers or receive college credit for their participation, and OCH does not pay for transportation costs or on-site childcare. However, we do provide books and other reading materials free of charge.

The 2007-08 HIP2 reading list includes Away by Amy Bloom, Snow by Orhan Pamuk, the Domesticity issue of Oregon Humanities, Apex Hides the Hurt by Colson Whitehead, American Primitive by Mary Oliver, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, and The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.