Vision, Mission, and Values

Three people painting a wall with colorful paint

The Institute for Human Science and Culture is part of the Cummings Center for the History of Psychology. Unlike the Cummings Center's other branches (the Archives of the History of American Psychology and the National Museum of Psychology), the Institute has distinct collections, exhibitions, and programming that do not necessarily relate to the history of psychology. Read more about the Archives and Museum here.

Vision

Hands-on humanities on the corner of campus and community.

Mission

The mission of the Institute for Human Science and Culture is to become Akron’s humanities center by:

  • Promoting the exploration and appreciation of the widespread human experience, both local and global, through the activation of museum collections
  • Enriching the UA student experience with arts and culture experiences, speakers, exhibitions, and programs
  • Facilitating engagement and connections among UA departments to discover new and creative ways to nurture learning
  • Connecting UA and Akron communities to learn from each other through arts and culture, expertise and experience, and hands-on teaching and learning.

Values

The mission of the Institue is achieved through a set of six core values:

  • Access
  • Collaboration
  • Education
  • Inclusion
  • Respect
  • Responsible Stewardship

The goals of the Institute are:

  • Embrace local arts, culture, and knowledge while reflecting on the broad human experience
  • Encourage connections between students, faculty, staff, and Akron community partners
  • Facilitate teaching and learning through hands-on experiences of our collections in our spaces
  • Develop career-focused experience, opportunities, and networks