Partner Spotlight: Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground

The Initiative on Cities partners with several organizations across campus at Boston University, each of which offers unique and engaging opportunities and programming for students and faculty. This week, we’re featuring the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground.

IOC: What issues is the Howard Thurman Center currently tackling?

HTC: The Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground (HTC) is Boston University’s student center for self-exploration and community building. Like the Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman, we believe that shared meaningful and creative experiences are essential to building Common Ground among all people, and we specialize in creating such experiences for all students across the university. 

What upcoming events or programming are you most excited about, and how can students get involved with the HTC?

Right now, our focus is on moving into our new space at 808 Comm Ave. This move is a major milestone for the HTC: we’re increasing our physical space from 4,000 square feet to nearly 20,000 square feet. Additionally, we’ve increased the size of our team from three professional staff members to seven. Our weekly selection of programs will also expand in 808. In fact, next semester nearly a dozen classes whose topics relate to our mission of Common Ground will take place in the Howard Thurman Center. 

We will host our Grand Opening week starting with our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration on Monday, January 20, 2020. Additional programming that week includes a panel titled: “Pro Sports and Pop Culture: A Lasting Marriage?”, featuring panelists Kevin Merida (ESPN SVP), Michael Holley (Co-host of “Boston Sports Tonight” on NBC Sports Boston), and Shira Springer (Sport and Society Reporter, WBUR). We’re also hosting “Mind, Body, Soul: Stories of Wellbeing,” a screening of Arleigh Prelow’s Howard Thurman documentary, which was narrated by Sterling K. Brown, and a Saturday night dance party extravaganza. 

All students, staff, and faculty are invited to attend these events as well as our regularly scheduled programs, like Coffee & Conversation and Tea Time. We’ll share more details about what to expect from our move on our website as well as in our university-wide newsletter later this month.

How do you interact with the city of Boston and/or partner with us at the Initiative on Cities? 

The HTC is proud to partner with the Initiative on Cities. For the past three years, the HTC and IOC have identified and funded a BU student fellowship with the City of Boston’s Chief Resilience Officer, Ms. Lori Nelson. Earlier this semester, we teamed up to promote the panel titled “Women’s Political Empowerment A Century after the 19th Amendment,” which featured female mayors from across Massachusetts. Most recently, we hosted Rep. Michael Capuano, Senior Urban Fellow, at our Coffee & Conversation program on October 25.  Every January, our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Celebration is presented in collaboration with the City of Boston.

Do you have any other comments you want to share about your work? 

Students are welcome to visit the HTC anytime, even if they’re not attending a specific program. You never “need a reason” to be here. We are a place for conversation and debate, discovery of self and new relationships, and feeling at home on campus. We can’t wait to meet you!