📸 Public Humanities Symposium Recap

Scenes from the Kaplan Institute Public Humanities Symposium, ft. Nicole Fleetwood, Dorothy Burge, & more.

The Kaplan Humanities Institute recently held its annual Public Humanities Symposium, and event that celebrates publicly engaged scholarship at Northwestern and beyond. Scroll down for scenes from this year’s event, which featured a Keynote with MacArthur Fellow Nicole Fleetwood, a ceremony recognizing this year’s Kaplan Institute Public Humanities Award winner, Dorothy Burge, and dynamic project presentations from this year’s Public Humanities Graduate Practicum Fellows.

We had a packed house for the Public Humanities Keynote, where MacArthur Fellow Nicole Fleetwood discussed her project, Marking Time: Art in the Age of Mass Incarceration, in conversation with Marquis Bey.

At a reception following the Keynote, Kaplan Institute Director Laura Brueck presented the 2025 Kaplan Institute Public Humanities Award to Chicago-based artist and activist Dorothy Burge.

Public Humanities Award winner Dorothy Burge (right) discussed her work as a quilter and activist in conversation with Tracy L. Vaughn-Manley (left).

The Public Humanities Practicum Fellows showcased their work through panel sessions, studio talks, and an interactive exhibit.

A final group picture with the 2024-25 Kaplan Institute Public Humanities Practicum Fellows and Conveners. From left to right: Dami Kim, Achi Mishra, Bridgette Hulse, Srishti Chatterjee, Trish Bredar, Uche Okpa-Iroha, Soumya Rachel Shailendra, Jack Langdon, Sophia Elzie, Mariel Melendez Mulero, Sofía Sanchez, Daniel Atwood, and Austin Bryan.

That’s a wrap on another successful year of Public Humanities Programming at the Kaplan Humanities Institute! Many of our Fellows’ projects are still unfolding, so subscribe to this Substack to stay up to date on our activities, including the call for applications for next year’s Public Humanities Graduate Practicum.