In the midst of it all, John Rapson stood at the base of the stairs in the only place visible to all of the musicians. Over the course of four days, they recorded his final work, Esteban and the Children of the Sun. This Sunday, October 3, 2021, the musicians will gather again, this time at The Englert Theatre, to perform the work for a live audience, sans their leader. The fact that Esteban was completed, recorded, and will be performed is a testament to Rapson’s dedication to the project and to his infectious love of music and musicians.

Ten PhD students from UI humanities departments worked with community and campus partners during June and July 2021 as part of the Humanities for the Public Good Summer program. Via funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and support from the UI Graduate College, the interns learned new skills, including podcasting and website design, while bringing their deep skills in archival research and project management to bear on work that benefits a wide range of audiences. Aja Witt (Journalism & Mass Communication), for example, worked with Iowa City Area Development to launch a website highlighting local BIPOC businesses, while Bronwyn Stewart (English) worked with the Englert Theatre to create a survey of local K12 educators that will help arts nonprofits better understand how to serve local schools. Along with students who participated in an internship program organized by the Graduate College, they will share their experiences at a webinar on Oct. 5.