Mission Statement

The Center builds a bridge from the university and its resources to faith communities and human-rights groups in and beyond Southwest Florida. From arts and lecture programs, to training sessions for public-school teachers, to cooperative projects with local organizations, we aim to bring an understanding of Judaic history, the Holocaust, and human rights to the broader community.

Major ongoing functions of the Center include:

• Collaboration with community groups:  The Center has an ongoing working relationship with the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida.  The Director works closely with the Jewish federations in Collier and in Lee/Charlotte counties, as well as with local interfaith groups.  Specific programs and projects of the Center involve close links with other local and regional organizations.
• Coordination with campus groups:  The Center collaborates with the FGCU Renaissance Academy on public programs, with various student groups such as the FGCU Amnesty International chapter, with the FGCU Arts Complex, and with other departments and offices on campus.
• Teacher training: The Center works with the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida on Holocaust-education seminars for local teachers.  We also seek to expand our work with teachers vis-à-vis other issues central to the Center’s mission.
• Public programs:  Lectures are an important tool for reaching out to the public and deepening awareness and education.  In addition to tapping local expertise, the Center brings nationally recognized scholars and public figures to FGCU. And in conjunction with the university’s music, visual arts, and theater programs, as well as with other local artists, the Center sponsors cultural programs and events that augment its mission.
• Scholarship and intellectual community:  Interdisciplinary inquiry and teaching are cornerstones of FGCU's mission. The Center is a catalyst for such activity at FGCU.  Faculty members collaborate on interdisciplinary course offerings; on grant and sponsored-research opportunities; and on roundtables, faculty reading groups, and other Center-sponsored forums that promote the exchange of ideas at FGCU. 

Plans for the near future: The Center will help develop an academic hub of research and teaching in its subject areas, and course offerings will be increased. A chaired professorship in Jewish Studies will bring new expertise to FGCU. Faculty members working in areas as diverse as history, religious studies, philosophy, and education will collaborate on programs and curricula. FGCU students, including the next generation of local schoolteachers, will gain an increased understanding of Judaism, the Holocaust, and human rights. Finally, the Center will be anchored by a scholar in the field of Judaic Studies.