Henkels Lectures

The Henkels endowment was set up because of its founders' belief that it is "important, not only to Catholics but also to the United States and to the world that there be a distinguished and leading university that is Catholic". The purpose of the Henkels Lectures is, therefore, intellectual enrichment of the College, by giving students and faculty alike an increased appreciation of central issues and methods in their field and a broader range of scholarly exchange.  Through this program, departments, institutes and interdisciplinary groups bring scholars to Notre Dame for two or more days of public events including a lecture, colloquium, or panel.  Visiting scholars must be chosen from among the leading thinkers of a discipline.  While all series may not result in a publication, the Institute expects that proposals will be designed with the goal of a lasting effect beyond a series of lectures.

Recipients of awards for $5,000.00 or more are required to submit a one page report, in hard copy to the ISLA office, outlining how their funding was used and what its outcomes were. Please submit your report within one month of the completion of the project for which the funding was used.

Criteria for review:The panel will consider the following questions in determining the winners of the Henkels Lectures:

  • Are the proposed events focused around current, up-to-date research?  Are the visiting scholars among the leading thinkers of their disciplines?
  • Will each visitor spend at least two days at Notre Dame?  Will there be more than a lecture? Will faculty and students have opportunities for dialogue, both formal and informal, with the visiting scholar?
  • How broad is the appeal beyond the specific disciplines of the proposed speakers?  Can the lectures be integrated into courses, both undergraduate and graduate?  Is there a link with official university or college initiatives?      
  • Will there be a lasting effect beyond the scheduled events?  Are there realistic plans for the publication of a collection of essays from the series?  Is there possible news media attention, or other means to reach non-Notre Dame audiences?
  • Visiting scholars may come to Notre Dame separately or as a group for a mini-conference.  Thanks to a generous gift from Paul M. and Barbara Henkels of the College Advisory Council, the College will be able to fund a number of lecture series in any academic year. Applications will normally be for events to happen within the next 18 months, but in cases where longer range planning is required, this will be taken into consideration. The maximum award is $15,000.
  • Departments, institutes and interdisciplinary groups within the College of Arts and Letters are eligible to compete for funds.  Proposals from interdisciplinary groups must have the approval of the chair of each participating department.

Application Procedures:

  • A state of the intellectual issues to be addressed by the proposed series.
  • A statement identifying the audience to be targeted (for example, the general undergraduate population; faculty and students in a particular discipline; the wider Michiana community, etc.)
  • The importance of the proposed series to its potential audience and other university initiatives, if any.
  • A list of representative scholars likely to participate in the series.  You need not have commitments from these scholars.  Please include a brief resume or biography of each.
  • A detailed budget, including: honoraria, travel costs, and the cost of campus activities associated with the scholars’ visits.
  • A full description of the schedule of events planned for each scholar’s visit including both formal and informal occasions.  The dates need not be final in the proposal; however, we must know the general program for each scholar’s visit.
  • Plans to publicize the Lecture Series.
  • Plans to involve both faculty and students.
  • ISLA funding for conferences cannot be spent on honoraria for participants who are employed at Notre Dame.
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Please submit five (an original plus four) copies of your proposal

Proposals from departments must be forwarded by the respective Chair and proposals from interdisciplinary groups by a single representative-who will be responsible for all communication between the Institute and her or his group. 

Deadline: The proposals must be received at the Institute office, 101 O’Shaughnessy Hall, no later than 5 p.m., Monday, January 19, 2009.

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