The workshops highlighted the success of Hamilton College’s participation in the Being Human Festival, an international celebration of the humanities organized by the National Humanities Center .
Through a grant from the Center, Hamilton joined nine institutions across the country in hosting programs for the festival’s inaugural U.S. year, including Kirkland Zine Fest. As co-principal investigators on the grant, Serrano and Wohnsen organized the initiative and partnered with the Kirkland Town Library to offer a series of workshops and community programs centered on zines.
The collaboration demonstrated how academic institutions and public libraries can work together to create vibrant community programming.
Titled “Turning Ideas into Impact,” the NERCOMP workshop brought together staff from across the region to explore strategies for designing, funding, and delivering meaningful academic and public events. Drawing on Hamilton’s experience, Serrano and Wohnsen shared insights on turning creative ideas into successful programs by aligning initiatives with institutional goals and community needs.
Participants explored strategies for aligning library missions, IT projects, and community priorities with funding opportunities; identifying grants, sponsorships, and partnerships that support technology and digital literacy initiatives; crafting compelling proposals that connect institutional goals with funder priorities; and integrating technology into library programming and community events.
The session also featured photos and zines from Kirkland Zine Fest 2024, illustrating how creative programming can foster collaboration, engagement, and public scholarship. Through their NERCOMP workshops, Serrano and Wohnsen showed how strategic partnerships, thoughtful funding, and innovative programming can bring humanities and digital initiatives to life while strengthening connections between campuses and their surrounding communities.
Posted March 17, 2026
