Shepherd University Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant to Support 2026 Common Reading Program

ISSUED: 12 June 2026
MEDIA CONTACT: Hans Fogle

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV - Shepherd University has received a $19,250 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) through Arts Midwest to support the University's Common Reading Program during the 2026-27 academic year.

Hannah Williams-McNamee, director of student support and transfer pathways, and Dr. Heidi Hanrahan, professor of English, history, and modern languages, received the grant through NEA Big Read, a national initiative that brings communities together through shared reading experiences and discussions of literature.

Funding will support the purchase of copies of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass, as well as educational and community programs inspired by the book and its themes of freedom, justice, and human dignity.

Shepherd's Common Reading Program uses a shared book to spark conversation, learning, and community engagement among students, faculty, staff, and community members. Throughout the academic year, Shepherd and its 10 community partners will host a series of public events, including book discussions, a film screening, artistic demonstrations, and other activities exploring Douglass's life, legacy, and impact on American history.

For more information about Shepherd University's Common Reading Program, visit shepherd.edu/commonreading.

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