a (completely fabricated) conversation between Sophie Shanae ‘26 & Hunter Mawn ‘27.
This year, we had the honor of serving as student delegates for National Humanities Advocacy Day. Hosted in Washington D.C. by the National Humanities Alliance, this event unites humanities students, educators, and professionals from across the country in encouraging our state representatives to support funding for humanities initiatives. This was my first time attending, but Hunter attended last year as well. What was it like to return, Hunter?
Exciting, for sure. Especially given the crazy uptick in how many other students were with us from other colleges. That was something I didn’t see so much of last year. That made the reception a lot more fun.
Well, you’re getting ahead of yourself.
I am?
Don’t forget our run-in at the Bangor airport.
Ah yes, Susan Collins!
So really our advocacy started quite early.
You’re right. And another unusual thing for me was how she wasn’t the only senator we got to speak to directly.
True! When it came time for our meetings on Capitol Hill, we actually got to speak with Senator Angus King in person. For context, we typically meet with staff or staff assistants for National Humanities Advocacy Day, so this was a welcome surprise. I appreciated how casual our conversation felt, despite the occasion’s significance. For my talking points, I reflected on my internship experiences at museums, specifically the L.C. Bates Museum of Natural History and Culture, which recently had a federal grant cut. My internship there reaffirmed my passion for humanistic inquiry and strengthened my understanding of how important such institutions are for providing community members of all ages with accessible and enriching educational opportunities.
Through this whole trip we were joined by Dean Allbritton and Sarah Duff–
Director and Associate Director of Colby’s Center for the Arts and Humanities.
—Yes. A big asset in these meetings but also just very lovely company at dinners. I was familiar with the Vue and this Italian place we went last year, but we also checked out this place called Unconventional Diner. Many discussions were held regarding the extent to which this diner was, in fact, unconventional.
Well, the menu was unconventional.
It was. Although I was a little disappointed when I walked in and the chairs weren’t hanging upside down from the ceiling…. Anyway, I can stop talking about the food now.
To reiterate, this whole event was organized by the National Humanities Alliance (NHA). The day before the official National Humanities Advocacy Day, the NHA hosted their annual meeting. Throughout the meeting’s breakout sessions, we learned about advocacy approaches, federally-funded humanities programs, and other institutions’ humanities initiatives. The meeting even featured a panel hosted by the likes of Dean, Sarah, and Hunter!
I mean, that was crazy. Our panel was on student advocacy and I was the only student up there. I felt honored to represent students there but I made sure it was clear to the audience that I’m not a shining-star exceptional student advocate. So the panel was really just as much about hearing from them as it was questions for me.
On Tuesday, we put all of our preparation into practice. We dawned our formal attire and traveled to Capitol Hill for a day of meetings with Congressional offices!
Oof, it was hot out that day.
Yeah, and we had plenty of walking to do to get to everybody. As well as Senator King, we met with the Office of Susan Collins and the Office of Chellie Pingree. Everyone we talked to carefully considered our concerns regarding humanities funding and listened attentively to the stories we shared about our experiences in the humanities.
There was also this empowering consensus among everyone participating in this advocacy that this year was markedly different from 2025. Last year, in the advent of DOGE coming out of the woodwork, there was a lot of hesitancy because there were a lot of uncertainties. Now we know how this new administration operates. The vibe went from “What’s gonna happen?” to “Here’s what we’re gonna do about it.” That shift in energy was tangibly felt and was food for the soul.