Save the Villa Spelman

To keep people informed about our campaign and the latest news regarding decisions by the Johns Hopkins University administration about the Villa Spelman, a website has been set up at: http://savethevilla.blogspot.com . This will be updated regularly. Please consult the website for the most up-to-date information about the Villa Spelman. This petition will remain active for the foreseeable future.

To:  The Administration of the Johns Hopkins University

I believe the planned sale of the Villa Spelman should be stopped immediately. The Villa is the home of one of the finest and most significant programs in Renaissance studies in the world. Hundreds of scholars have presented cutting-edge research at the Italian Studies Seminar, a weekly program that is renowned throughout Italy and known to all Renaissance scholars. As such, the program has brought the Johns Hopkins University into the limelight and played a crucial role in establishing the university’s reputation as one of the finest in the field in Renaissance studies. Hundreds of Hopkins graduate students have benefited from attending and presenting at the seminars, at which celebrated international scholars have presented. This seminar has provided a major forum for established and up-and-coming scholars from Italy, Europe, North America and Australia. This dialogue among scholars of diverse nationalities is one of the Villa Spelman’s most important achievements: a long-sighted vision that recognizes the benefits and central importance of international scholarly discussion in an increasingly global world. More recently the university has introduced an undergraduate program that represents an important opportunity for American students to gain a deep understanding and appreciation of Italian culture and society (both contemporary and historical).

The celebrated international reputation of Renaissance Studies at Johns Hopkins depends upon its association with the Villa Spelman. When the Spelmans gave their home as a gift to the university in the 1970s they recognized the potential of the Villa as a site for intellectual exchange among scholars of different nationalities, and therefore appropriately administered by the first research university in the United States.

At a time when Humanities programs worldwide are facing increasing challenges, please save the Villa Spelman and keep this intellectual and cultural treasure for the benefit of future generations of Hopkins scholars and students.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Save the Villa Spelman Petition to The Administration of the Johns Hopkins University was created by and written by Christina Neilson (cneilson@jhu.edu).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.