BYU College of Humanities

BYU College of Humanities Think clearly. Act well. Appreciate life. For lovers of Literature, Languages, Linguistics, and Art.

When Professor Donald Parry set out to find a simple way for students to practice Biblical Hebrew verbs, he found almost...
05/28/2026

When Professor Donald Parry set out to find a simple way for students to practice Biblical Hebrew verbs, he found almost nothing. One quick search revealed a tool with only 32 verbs, something students could master in minutes. That gap became the beginning of something much bigger.

With support from BYU’s Office of Digital Humanities, Parry created the Biblical Hebrew Learning Suite, an interactive resource that now supports thousands of learners. What started as a need for better verb practice has grown into a comprehensive tool with vocabulary builders, grammar exercises, native speaker recordings, and even an interactive Hebrew Bible.

Designed for beginners and advanced students alike, the suite meets learners where they are and grows with them. Students who spend time with it outside the classroom consistently see stronger results, and many continue using it long after their courses end. Even more, the resource is available to anyone around the world, making it a lasting tool for lifelong learning.

Learn more here: https://hum.byu.edu/your-companion-for-biblical-hebrew-study
Photo by David John Arnett

Poetry has a unique way of turning strangers into a community. After a life-changing trip to the Navajo Nation, BYU stud...
05/26/2026

Poetry has a unique way of turning strangers into a community. After a life-changing trip to the Navajo Nation, BYU student Aiden Jones used a Humanities Undergraduate Mentoring (HUM) Grant to bring Indigenous voices to the forefront in Provo. By organizing public poetry readings of Indigenous poetry at local bookstores and cafés, she created a space where students shared powerful stories of heritage, resilience, and connection.

Read more about how these events fostered understanding and showcased the heart of the humanities: https://hum.byu.edu/giving-voice-to-native-stories

Meet one of our outstanding faculty members in the German & Russian Department, Jennifer Bown ✨ From earning national re...
05/21/2026

Meet one of our outstanding faculty members in the German & Russian Department, Jennifer Bown ✨

From earning national recognition for research in language education to being named BYU’s Professor of the Year in European Studies, her work continues to shape the way students experience language learning.

Her teaching spans from introductory Russian courses to advanced research seminars, and her scholarship explores how study abroad experiences influence identity, connection, and language growth.

Through both her research and her classroom, she is helping students see language as not just words, but as a bridge to understanding people and cultures around the world.

Six College of Humanities graduate students stepped up to the challenge at the Three Minute Thesis Competition, sharing ...
05/19/2026

Six College of Humanities graduate students stepped up to the challenge at the Three Minute Thesis Competition, sharing years of research in a format that rewards clarity, creativity, and confidence. Their presentations highlighted not only impressive scholarship but also the personal growth that comes with graduate study.

Topics ranged across literature, language, and lived experience. Gabriella Schwartz explored identity through geometric fractals and William Wordsworth’s The Prelude. Michele Walker compared essays to rivers that grow and shape perspective over time. Lauren Smith examined how gratitude journaling can strengthen both well being and second language skills. Each presentation offered a unique lens on what it means to learn, reflect, and keep becoming.

Photo by Faith Riddoch

Read the full story here: https://hum.byu.edu/competing-against-the-clock

After years of studying, nearly 500 humanities graduates gathered for one final moment of reflection before they bid far...
05/14/2026

After years of studying, nearly 500 humanities graduates gathered for one final moment of reflection before they bid farewell to their time at BYU. On April 24, 2026, the College of Humanities held its convocation at the BYU Marriott Center, honoring the graduates as they move forward in the next chapter of their lives. Drawing from lived experience, Dean Christopher “Chip” Oscarson, student Kathryn Douglas, and Professor George Handley shared messages encouraging the graduates to remain grounded in their faith.

Read the full article here: https://hum.byu.edu/humanities-graduates-go-forth-with-faith

The humanities are not stuck in the past. In fact, modern media like video games can reveal just as much about human nat...
05/12/2026

The humanities are not stuck in the past. In fact, modern media like video games can reveal just as much about human nature as classic literature or ancient texts. Through the lens of Roblox, Professor Kerry Soper highlights how virtual worlds create space for creativity, identity exploration, and meaningful social connection.

As digital spaces continue to shape culture, they raise important questions about community, learning, and safety, especially for younger audiences. These platforms are more than entertainment: They are reflections of who we are and who we are becoming.

Read more here: https://hum.byu.edu/the-reality-of-roblox

Mass market paperbacks may be gone, but their impact on storytelling is still impossible to ignore. In a recent P. A. Ch...
05/06/2026

Mass market paperbacks may be gone, but their impact on storytelling is still impossible to ignore. In a recent P. A. Christensen Lecture, Professor Carl Sederholm explored how authors like Stephen King used the format to experiment, take risks, and reshape the horror genre.

These small, accessible books once brought bold ideas to a wide audience and invited readers to wrestle with questions about fear, humanity, and the unknown. Even as publishing evolves, their legacy lives on in the stories that continue to challenge and captivate us.

Read more here: https://hum.byu.edu/the-king-of-the-horror-paperback

What if silence isn’t absence, but intention? In a recent lecture, Matthew Wickman explores how the Book of Mormon refra...
04/30/2026

What if silence isn’t absence, but intention? In a recent lecture, Matthew Wickman explores how the Book of Mormon reframes divine silence as something purposeful. Rather than providing immediate answers, revelation often unfolds gradually, inviting deeper trust and attention.

Through examples of merciful, consoling, and attuning silence, Wickman shows how these moments can shape spiritual growth and strengthen a relationship with God.

Read more on our website here: https://hum.byu.edu/silence-when-seeking-revelation

Photo by BYU Photo | Alyssa Dahneke

Humor has a way of bridging even the biggest cultural gaps. For Associate Professor Steve Moody (Japanese Linguistics), ...
04/29/2026

Humor has a way of bridging even the biggest cultural gaps. For Associate Professor Steve Moody (Japanese Linguistics), moments of miscommunication like struggling with chopsticks become opportunities to connect rather than divide.

In his book Humor, Identity, and Belonging, Moody explores how Americans and Japanese use humor tied to identity to navigate differences and build relationships. Through real interactions, he shows that what might begin as stereotypes can turn into shared understanding and meaningful connection.

By looking closely at how people laugh together, Moody’s research highlights a simple idea. Our differences do not have to separate us. They can bring us closer.

Photo by Colby St. Gelais

Read more here: https://hum.byu.edu/building-bridges-through-laughter

AI is changing the way we learn, but the need for thoughtful, responsible engagement with information hasn’t gone anywhe...
04/21/2026

AI is changing the way we learn, but the need for thoughtful, responsible engagement with information hasn’t gone anywhere.

Assistant Professor Vashti Wai Yu Lee explores how educators can guide students to think critically about the tools they use, recognize bias, and make ethical choices when working with AI. Rather than avoiding these technologies, her work emphasizes learning how to use them with intention and awareness.

Photo by Colby St. Gelais

Read more about her research and approach to teaching digital literacy: https://hum.byu.edu/addressing-ethics-in-ai

History, memory, and identity are more connected than we think. Associate Professor Trent Hickman studies how Dominican ...
04/16/2026

History, memory, and identity are more connected than we think. Associate Professor Trent Hickman studies how Dominican American literature explores diaspora through both trauma and nostalgia, revealing how the past continues to shape the present in powerful ways.

Photo by Morgan Pursglove

Read more here: https://hum.byu.edu/unconscious-longings

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