| May 2001 After hearing a
National Public Radio presentation on the Clemente Course for the
Humanities, John Scolaro contacts Ann Puyana, Interim Vice President,
Academic Affairs & Chief Learning Officer, at Valencia to inquire about a
mechanism at the college to pursue this type of program. Ann Puyana
purchases copies of Mr. Earl Shorris' book, Riches for the Poor for
humanities faculty members at Valencia to solicit interest in a Clemente
Course in the Humanities. May 2001 Professor Elizabeth
Eschbach responds indicating that she originally heard about the course
while attending the Project Directors workshop at the Florida Humanities
Council following award of Valencia's Women in Latin America project in
1999. At that meeting she met Robin Jones and Mark Amen of the
University of South Florida Clemente Course in the Humanities and became
very interested in the course/project.
June 2001 Initial meeting between Professors Scolaro and
Eschbach to discuss Riches for the Poor and the viability of
establishing a Clemente Course at Valencia. Ms. Kelly Caruso,
President of The Ripple Effect, and Mr. Gary Shif, Owner of Best Cleaners
and Board Member of The Ripple Effect contacted.
June 22, 2001 Dr. Gustavo Morales of Valencia's Science
Department, having a long-term interest in the humanities, learned of the
project from Ann Puyana and Dr. Sanford Shugart (Valencia's President),
became interested, and contacted Professor Scolaro.
June 2001 Ms. Geraldine Thompson of Valencia's Equal
Opportunity/Equal Access office hears of prospective project and becomes
interested.
July 3, 2001 Professor Scolaro and Dr. Shugart meet to
discuss the prospective project under the Valencia umbrella.
July 10, 2001 Initial meeting of the Riches for the Poor
Dialogue Circle attended by Professor Scolaro and Eschbach, Ms. Caruso, Mr.
Shif, Ms. Thompson, Dr. Morales, and Ms. Puyana, to begin exploration of the
viability of establishing a Clemente Course in the Humanities under the
umbrella of Valencia Community College. Conducted an open forum
dialogue among the Circle members in attendance on the ideas of Earl Shorris
contained in his book. Established the date of September 21, 2001 for
the Riches for the Poor Discussion Group at Valencia's Professional
Development Center on the East Campus. Established the Special
Invitations List for the Discussion Group and made arrangements to provide
each invitee with a copy of the book by August 20, 2001. The list of
presenters/facilitators for the Discussion Group is established.
July 2001 Robin Jones and Donna Burnell accept an invitation
from Ann Puyana to attend the Riches for the Poor Discussion Group on
September 21.
July 24, 2001 Professor Eschbach of Valencia's Humanities
Department contacts the Resource Development Office via e-mail offering an
invitation for a grant writer to attend the next meeting of the Dialogue
Circle on July 31, 2001 and provided an overview of the Clemente Course in
the Humanities.
July 24-31, 2001 Resource Development conducts research and
identifies potential grant opportunities for the project.
July 31, 2001 Ms. Terry Urbanski of the Resource Development
Office attends the meeting of the Dialogue Circle core team at the
Wells'Built Museum of African-American History and Culture in downtown
Orlando and discusses an overview of available grant opportunities.
August 20, 2001
Each invitee to the Discussion Group receives a copy of
Riches for the Poor and a
formal invitation to attend the September 21st session.
August 24, 2001 Meeting of the Dialogue Circle at
Wells'Built Museum. The Florida Humanities Council Floridians:
Finding a Common Path grant opportunity is discussed and the team agrees
that it is an excellent fit for bringing the humanities to under-represented
populations in the Orlando area and for laying the groundwork for a
humanities course modeled after the Clemente Course in the Humanities.
August 24, 2001 The Project Advisory Committee is formed,
members and project co-sponsors identified. The project title,
Humanities: The Culture of Poverty in Central Florida, is chosen.
Professor Scolaro is chosen as the Project Director. Professor
Eschbach will contact potential speakers/presenters.
August 27, 2001 Professor Eschbach contacts Mr. Earl Shorris
inviting him to speak at Valencia as part of the proposed FHC project.
August 28, 2001 Mr. Shorris accepts Professor Eschbach's
invitation and the time period of May 2002 is established.
August 30, 2001 The Project Advisory Committee meets to
review the FHC grant guidelines; brainstorm project activities such as
presentation venues, promotional activities, and other potential
speakers/presenters; and assign action items to committee members.
August 30, 2001 Professors Eschbach and Scolaro present the
concept of the Clemente Course at the Black Advisory Council meeting help at
Valencia's West Campus.
September 10, 2001 Telephone discussion with Joan Bragginton,
FHC, regarding grant guidelines and Valencia's project focus.
September 12, 2001 Ms. Urbanski and faculty prepare grant
summary of the FHC project to be presented for approval to Valencia's
Executive Council.
September 17, 2001 Grant Summary is approved by Executive
Council.
September 17, 2001 Professor Elizabeth Eschbach contacts Mr.
Gary Monroe at Daytona Beach Community College, inviting him to give his
Highwaymen presentation as part of the proposed project.
September 21, 2001 Riches for the Poor Discussion
Group convenes with guest participants, Ms. Robin Jones and Ms. Donna
Burnell, from the Clemente Course in the Humanities at the University of
South Florida in Tampa. Twenty-three participants from Valencia and
the community attended and discussed the ideas and philosophies of Mr.
Shorris as they relate to educating the Economically and educationally
disadvantaged. Great enthusiasm and support for the proposed project
were shown.
September 26, 2001 Advisory Committee meets to review first
draft of the preliminary proposal; September 21 Discussion Group follow-up.
October 4, 2001 Preliminary proposal submitted to the FHC.
November 2001 Professors Eschbach and Scolaro and other
Advisory Committee members will visit the University of South Florida's
Clemente project.
Since November of
2001, Parts 1 and 2 of the Clemente Course in the Humanities, as the project
was formerly called, were offered as a college-level, non-credit course of
study. Both parts of the course were highly successful. A college-level,
credit course of study in the humanities, known now as the Prometheus
Project, began on Monday, January 12, and will continue throughout the
college's Spring Session 2-2004 from January 12-May 8, 2004. Perhaps a book
on the history of this intriguing project for the multi-generational poor of
Orlando and Central Florida will be published in the near future. Our plans
are to continue this intriguing experiment in the humanities as a
college-level, credit course of study during each academic session in the
years ahead.
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