Andrew Bowen - "For the love of knowledge"
Jax State alumnus selected for prestigious humanities fellowship
By Brett Buckner
Jacksonville State University (Jax State) alumnus Andrew Bowen has been named among the 60 fellows selected for the Hertog Foundation’s Humanities at Hertog program.
"I anticipated working alongside and discussing with bright minds," said Bowen, who graduated in 2021 with a degree in history. "As such, when I learned of my acceptance, my feeling was one of relief. It has been a pleasure to be a part of it."
Since 2020, Humanities at Hertog has been "devoted to a rigorous and exemplary educational experience that transcends the deficiencies of online learning," according to the foundation's website. "Our virtual seminars demonstrate that reading great books with others is compelling on its own terms and needs no promise of credentials, no threat of grades, no gimmicks, and no pandering."
Classes began in October. "[It] is essentially like a bunch of seminars that meet virtually to discuss a text," Bowen said. "In my case, the work is [Mary] Shelley's Frankenstein, but there were two other choices for this fall term - The Book of Samuel from the Bible, and Winston Churchill's The Coming Storm."
The fellows meet over Microsoft Teams to discuss portions of the text that were previously assigned. There are discussion questions, and some students are chosen to write a one- to two-page paper in response to the discussion questions. At the end of the course, participants complete a short reflection paper.
When completing the application, fellows must select their order of interest for the available texts, giving a short justification for their choice. Bowen was interested in both The Book of Samuel and Frankenstein. After his acceptance, Bowen learned he'd been assigned Frankenstein. "When I was informed of my acceptance, they assigned me to the latter."
"I was interested in this work because of its focus on science, technology, and nature, three things that are common in archaeological theory and the philosophy that I have been exposed to," he said. "I also had not read the book prior to participating in this organization, so that was an impetus."
Bowen earned his master's degree in anthropology from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2024, and he currently works as a research assistant at the University of South Alabama’s Center of Archaeological Studies.
When the Hertog Foundation sought nominations, Dr. Benjamin Gross, Jax State associate professor of political science, immediately thought of his former classmate. "Mr. Bowen's interest and dedication to examining human nature is unlike most,” Gross said. "He gives serious reflection to our condition from numerous fields of study, and he is deeply concerned with improving our society. This is just the beginning of his journey. I'm proud to be a footnote in Mr. Bowen's education. I'm looking forward to seeing how he continues to grow as a scholar and citizen."
Bowen's reason for joining the fellowship was simple.
"My reason for participating was just for the love of knowledge," he said. "I wanted to learn about the book and its core ideas, as well as learn from the other participants from various backgrounds, while contributing from my own little niche."
He also expects that reading Frankenstein and the associated discussions will provide an opportunity to reflect on the current situations many scholars face.
"My participation with specifically Frankenstein can offer a sort of meta-commentary on the dangers of rigorous science that even archaeologists have been accustomed to, and the necessity of personal relationships in the community of life," he said. "Hopefully, there will be a moral or theme to take away - as is the case with classic works - that will impact more than just my career."