"Present at the Creation": Introducing the Digital Humanities at Union College

Union College has yet to offer an introductory course in the Digital Humanities (DH), one of the fastest growing interdisciplinary academic fields. However, a grassroots effort by faculty and students has begun to incorporate DH into our curriculum. This individual video presentation surveys the continuing work in DH at Union and explores the integral role that the field will play in preparing Union for multiple tomorrows. My independent DH study projects serve as a synthetic narrative of the state of DH at Union and also address the evolution of the field in general. Over the past year, with Union's support, I have worked with Professor Andrew Burkett to conceptualize and develop an introductory-level DH course through summer research, including a trip to England to attend the Digital Humanities at Oxford Summer School, in addition to two terms of independent study in DH. Although a valuable case study for the growth of DH at Union, my experience constitutes only part of our existing MakerWeb, which incorporates digital scholarship across Union's disciplines. Union's current DH framework includes the Digital Scholarship team at Schaffer Library, the 3D Printing Lab, various MakerSpace labs across campus, in addition to a handful of courses and ongoing digital research and pedagogy across academic disciplines. As Union looks to balance its commitment as a liberal arts institution, fostering the growth of the whole individual while preparing students for a rapidly evolving job market, DH provides valuable perspectives on integrating theory and praxis in teaching and research.