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Jax State's Dr. Benjamin Gross Receives $60,000 Competitive NEH Grant, Largest in School History

by Brett Buckner

Jacksonville, AL (06/12/2025) — Ironically, Dr. Benjamin Gross was in a grant-writing training seminar when he received an email stating that he'd been awarded a $60,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)-the largest NEH award in Jacksonville State University's history.

The highly competitive Spotlight on Humanities in Higher Education grant is awarded to institutions with enrollments under 10,000 and meets other conditions, such universities serving more than 40% of students receiving Pell grants. Out of 37 national applicants, only six institutions were selected.

"I was flabbergasted," Dr. Gross said. "The fact that the NEH trusts us to do this work is the highest honor. This work is going to advance the humanities and advance our students, our community, and our nation's understanding of the importance of the humanities by investigating fundamental questions of American government and life it's just incredible."

The NEH funding will benefit the Tocqueville Lecture Series. Launched by Dr. Gross in 2020, the Tocqueville Lecture Series was initially funded by a $10,000 grant from the Jack Miller Center for Teaching America's Founding Principles and History. Named in honor of 19th-century French observer of American democracy Alexis de Tocqueville, the series invites scholars to discuss liberty, equality, and other concepts important in the founding and continuation of American government.

"This series highlights the best of the humanities by bringing people together to have those conversations," Dr. Gross said. "So, instead of just bringing in someone to talk about equality, let's bring in two people, who are both academically achieved, who have disagreements on this core idea of humanity and can show us through the model of civic discourse, how we can discuss this important concept of humanity."

The Tocqueville Lecture Series has hosted 21 events, attracting more than 1,400 people to attend both physically and digitally, as lectures aired simultaneously through Zoom-based webinars. Dr. Gross believes this hybrid approach appealed to the NEH reviewers.

"We can get people from Japan, Europe, California, and New York watching this, and yes, that's great," he said. "But it also reaches a population that is normally excluded from the humanities students who are caretakers of an elderly parent, are working a job at night or cooking dinner for their family. They now have access to this discourse, even if it's with an earbud in and listening to a Zoom call. They're still engaged."

This was the sixth NEH grant awarded to Jax State and is the largest in the university's history. "The NEH is a tough agency to crack in obtaining funding, and for Dr. Gross to be funded a $60,000 award is phenomenal," said Dr. Michael Wetherholt, senior director for Jax State's Office of Sponsored Programs, who assisted with the application process. "Dr. Gross will conduct a superlative project, and the NEH will be very satisfied with the quality of his work. The NEH will then be aware of JSU and how we can add to the Humanities in rural, northeastern Alabama and beyond."

For context, 331 awards from the NEH have been given to Alabama universities since its inception in the mid-1960s. Of those, nearly 28 percent went to the University of Alabama, about 16 percent went to Auburn University, and UAB received around 10%. "These are large research universities," Dr. Gross said. "Tuskegee University, which is often recognized as among the top research facilities among Historically Black Colleges and Universities, is fourth with about 6 percent of the state's NEH awards."

According to Dr. Maureen Newton, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the grant will fund two more years of programming and at least ten more events. "I am delighted that Dr. Benjamin Gross and Jacksonville State University have been awarded a $60,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to integrate more unique learning experiences for our students," she said. "Being awarded this grant from the NEH is a special honor recognizing the important work of our faculty in helping to prepare students for active participation in our democratic society."

"Given the prestige and competitive nature of NEH grants, this award will bring national attention to Jax State and the work of Dr. Benjamin Gross, said Dr. Tim Lindblom, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Sciences. "His leadership of the Tocqueville Series lectures focuses primarily on liberty and equity in the United States. With an emphasis on civil discussion, the series provides an important opportunity for students, faculty and the general public to engage with the concepts that form the foundation for our democracy. It also helps JSU fulfill its mission of public engagement and outreach, as the series is free and open to the public. Because of the timeliness of the lecture series and its potential impact on our region, it is a great project for funding by the NEH."

Creating the lecture series, meeting necessary qualifications, and writing the grant proposal were all tasks outside of Dr. Gross' regular workload. "Where faculty at research universities can make this part of their job, this work took nights, weekends, and summers to achieve," he said. "It took my family having to make sacrifices and join in supporting this project." That included hosting the post-event receptions at the Gross family home.

"At the end of the day, there are numerous factors that explain why Jacksonville State University has a minimal relationship with the NEH," he said. "I, and I know others on campus, are working to change this."

About Jacksonville State University: Founded in 1883 as a state teachers' college, Jacksonville State University has grown from humble beginnings into the Alabama regional university with the highest percentage of accredited programs. Located in the Appalachian foothills midway between Birmingham and Atlanta, Jax State offers more than 150 courses of study, including over 40 online programs, at the undergraduate and graduate levels. To learn more, visit www.jsu.edu, call 1-800-231-JAX1, or e-mail jaxfacts@jsu.edu.

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