News Article
ACLS President Emerita Pauline Yu Awarded National Humanities Medal
On Monday, October 21, 2024, President Joseph R. Biden awarded Pauline Yu, ACLS President Emerita, a 2022 National Humanities Medal.
The National Humanities Medal honors an individual or organization whose work has deepened the nation’s understanding of the human experience, broadened citizens’ engagement with history or literature, or helped preserve and expand Americans’ access to cultural resources.
The National Humanities Medal recipients have enriched our world through writing that moves and inspires us; scholarship that enlarges our understanding of the past; and through their dedication to educating, informing, and giving voice to communities and histories often overlooked. NEH Chair Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo)
Yu is a scholar of Chinese literature and former dean of humanities at UCLA. She served as ACLS President from 2003-2019. During her tenure, she significantly expanded the Council’s program and resources: the total sum awarded in fellowships and grants tripled, the ACLS endowment grew by 110 percent, and new philanthropic partnerships were formed.
The National Endowment for the Humanities profiled Yu as part of the award, covering her career, her thoughts on challenges facing the humanities, and her most recent scholarly work on Judith Gautier.
