Troy University is now home to the Ivey Center for the Cultural Approach to History.

Today’s announcement came from TROY Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr. and Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, niece of Professor Emeritus Oliver Turner Ivey, who developed the approach as an Auburn University history professor.

Funded with a grant from the Caroline Lawson Ivey Memorial Foundation, Inc., the Center provides training in the approach to pre-service and in-service history teachers and provides curriculum support to classrooms. 

“For well over a century, TROY has positively affected the lives of tens of thousands of student teachers and their students around the state, nation and the globe. It could not be more fitting that TROY would take the lead in transforming teaching so that students think as partners in the progression of human history,” Gov. Ivey said. “I cannot think of a more appropriate time for Troy University to reawaken our children to the profound history they have inherited as citizens of this great nation.”

Gov. Ivey said the State of Alabama is working to introduce the Cultural Approach to teaching history in the social studies classrooms.

“It was Thomas Jefferson who reminded us of the delicate nature of our democracy. He said that one of the great needs in America is strong leadership – leadership with ability, integrity and vision – to bring all of us together. That is what true leadership is about, bringing people together. I think we sometimes forget how fortunate and blessed we are to be Americans,” Dr. Hawkins said. 

“Educating the masses is the key to preserving this delicate thing called democracy. When we become ignorant of the past and how truly blessed we are, we stand on the threshold of losing that blessing,” he said. “That is what I see the Ivey Center as being about – bringing to life, in a very meaningful way through the cultural approach, learning. It is our ignorance that will do us in and that is why I’m excited about the Ivey Center and this opportunity.”

The Cultural Approach uses six areas to transform history from static, rote memorization to a more engaging exploration by applying anthropological methods to the study of history.

Professor Ivey’s six “Faces of History” are economic, social, political, intellectual, religious and aesthetic.

“We are very pleased to be able to establish the Ivey Center here at Troy University. We are very excited about the idea that not only are we going work primarily with teachers in K-12 grades, but we actually see some compliments in extending it out in other areas well related to the College of Business and beyond that,” said Steve Brice, chair of the Ivey Foundation.

“We look forward to continuing this partnership with Troy University for many, many years to come,” he said.

Directing the Center is Dr. Linda Felton-Smith, a Troy native, longtime superintendent of Troy City Schools and a State Department of Education retiree.

“We are pleased to now call Troy University home. The University is well-known for its commitment to teaching the next generation of Alabama teachers as well as continuing the learning process for our current K-12 faculty,” she said. “We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership.”

“The cultural approach seeks to transform the study of history from rote memorization, which many of us probably remember, into a wholistic exploration of cultural institutions designed to enhance students’ understanding of key historical concepts and to develop critical thinking skills, which I think is more important now than ever,” said Dr. Kerry Palmer, TROY’s Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “The Ivey Center will serve as a resource center to promote the use of the cultural approach to teaching history by teachers of K-12 social studies, sciences and related academic disciplines.”

Although housed in John Robert Lewis Hall with the Sorrell College of Business, the Center will function on a University-wide basis, working closely with the College of Education in fulfilling its efforts at teacher education.

Andy Ellis contributed to this report.