Each year, Northampton Community College’s Humanities Department selects a timely and thought-provoking theme to explore the human experience through multiple academic lenses. Spearheaded by a faculty chairperson, the Annual Humanities Theme engages students, faculty, and the wider community in meaningful dialogue and reflection. Complementing the academic programming, distinguished keynote speakers—ranging from historians and authors to social activists and cultural icons—are invited to share their insights and expand on the theme’s relevance in today’s world. The list below chronicles the faculty sponsors, thematic focuses, and keynote speakers from recent years, celebrating a tradition of inquiry, inspiration, and intellectual engagement.
2012
Keynote: Doris Kearns Goodwin
Faculty Member and Theme:
Sholomo Levy, Professor of History, “The Meaning of Freedom:
The Civil War 1865 – Today.”
2013
Keynote: Michael Beschloss
Faculty Member and Theme:
Dr. Brian Alnutt, Professor of History, “The American Presidency.”
2014
Keynote: Wes Moore
Faculty Member and Theme:
Dr. Michael J. McGovern, Professor of History, “Off to War and Coming Home: Historical Perspectives on Military Veterans During and After Their Service, 1946-Present”
2015
Keynote: Will Allen
Faculty Member and Theme:
Kelly Allen, Professor of English, “Agriculture and the American Identity.”
2016
Keynote: Colum McCann
Faculty Member and Theme:
Dr. Cara McClintock-Walsh, Professor of English, “The Good Life.”
2017
Keynote: Bill McKibben
Faculty Member and Theme:
Dr. John Leiser, Professor of Biology, “Flying Free: Birds and the Human Spirit.”
2018
Keynote: Margaret Atwood
Theme:
“Exploring Identity through the Humanities.”
2019
Keynote: Temple Grandin
Faculty Member and Theme:
Dr. Charlie Rinehimer, Professor of Biology, “Humanities Best Friend: Dogs and the Human Saga.”
2020 (Virtual)
Keynote: John Hope Bryant
Faculty Member and Theme:
Bill Mutimer, Professor of Theatre, “Empathy & the Entrepreneur: Fostering the business of doing good through social entrepreneurship.”
2021 (Virtual)
Keynote: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Dr. Gina Turner, Professor of Psychology
2022 (Virtual)
Keynote: W. Kamau Bell
Faculty Member and Theme:
Dr. Rebecca Martin, “Strong in Broken Places.”
2023
Keynote: Steve Almond
Faculty Member and Theme:
Randy Boone, Professor of English, “Candy.”
2024
Keynote: Chuck D
Faculty Member and Theme:
Andrew McIntosh, Associate Professor of Sociology, “50 Years Down the Line”:
A Celebration of Hip Hop History and Culture.”
2025
Keynote: Dr. Yusef Salaam
Faculty Member and Theme:
Megan Nocek, Assistant Professor of Psychology, “Stories That Shape Us: Turn the Page, Connect, Engage.”
Schedule for 2026 - Pending
