Randolph-Macon College President Dr. Michael E. Hill has announced the launch of the RMC Humanities Initiatives, a bold presidential priority aimed at elevating the profile of the humanities at RMC and ensuring their continued centrality to a 21st-century liberal arts education.

“From my earliest days at Randolph-Macon, I’ve spoken about the enduring power of a liberal arts education and the central role the humanities play in shaping thoughtful, curious, and engaged citizens,” President Hill wrote in an email announcement to the RMC community.

“Through innovative programming, interdisciplinary collaboration, and deeper engagement with local arts and cultural partners, these efforts will expand the reach and impact of humanistic study both on campus and beyond,” President Hill continued.

President Hill appointed Professor of English Dr. Bob Volpicelli to lead the effort as Director of the Humanities Initiatives. Volpicelli teaches a wide range of English courses at RMC, with a particular focus and scholarship on 20th- and 21st-century literature, poetry, and disability. He authored Transatlantic Modernism and the US Lecture Tour (Oxford UP, 2021), which won the Modernist Studies Association First Book Prize, and he earned the Thomas Branch Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2021.

“Dr. Volpicelli brings deep experience, creativity, and a collaborative spirit to this role,” President Hill said. “He has already begun laying out a vision that connects our long-standing strengths to new opportunities for students, faculty, and the broader community.”

“These initiatives are about proclaiming the vitality of the humanities in our present moment,” Volpicelli said. “Our students are living in a world that is asking so many questions relevant to the humanities classroom—questions about what it means to treat others with human dignity and even questions about what it means to be human. A Randolph-Macon education will set students apart by preparing them to address such questions, no matter what their academic interest.”

Work is already underway to bring the multifaceted vision of the Humanities Initiatives to life. One element will strengthen the ties between RMC and the Richmond arts community, with additional funding for students to visit museums, performance venues, and other humanities-related events. Volpicelli even plans to pilot a Richmond-based travel course scheduled for January Term in 2027.

Further work will support professionalism within the humanities, with focus on internship opportunities and alumni networking. Plans also include an exploration of interdisciplinary work on campus, and how the humanities can integrate with medical, digital, and other fields to solve real-world problems. Finally, a new event series will bring important voices to campus and highlight creators from the Commonwealth of Virginia.