This past fall, John Carroll University students took their learning beyond the classroom and into Cleveland’s world-class arts scene thanks to The Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J., Endowed Professorship in British Literature, a resource which supports experiential learning and arts programming in the Department of English.
Established through the generosity of Leland Schubert, Ph.D and Helen Dwan Schubert, with matching support from the Boler Challenge Fund, the endowment was named in honor of Gerard Manley Hopkins—one of their favorite English poets and a Jesuit whose work reflects the intersection of faith, imagination, and nature.
The 2025-26 Hopkins Festival of the Arts centers on the theme “Sparks of Inspiration,” which draws from Hopkins’ poem “God’s Grandeur.” A theme which celebrates the divine spark of imagination that energizes creativity, learning, and personal discovery.
Experiential Learning through the Arts
“We wanted to engage students of all majors in arts programming and give them the opportunity to experience the vibrant arts and culture Cleveland has to offer,” said Dr. Peter Kvidera, Chair of the English Department at John Carroll. “The Hopkins Festival of the Arts is a new initiative, supported by the endowment, that provides students with free access and transportation to events and experiences a short distance from campus, which enhance their learning across disciplines.”
Each off-campus event is paired with an on-campus discussion led by JCU English Department faculty who introduce students to the work and the institutions they’ll encounter. These sessions help students better understand the themes and ideas they’ll encounter and often feature special appearances by guest artists or organizational partners.
Last fall’s events included:
- A writing conference at the Cleveland Public Library with Literary Cleveland’s Writer’s Incubator
- The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, featuring author talks co-sponsored by the Cleveland Foundation and the City Club of Cleveland
- A production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town at Playhouse Square
- A student trip to the musical Six at Playhouse Square
- A Cleveland Orchestra performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Sibelius' "Tapiola"
For students like Rachel Ciotti ’26, these experiences allowed her to see her coursework in action.
“The Hopkins Festival really connects all majors at John Carroll to fun and free events. As an English major who often reads Tudor and Renaissance texts, the trip to Playhouse Square to see Six really connected my interests and what I’m learning in class to what’s right in our neighborhood. I’m not from the Cleveland area, so I really appreciate how John Carroll’s proximity to the city and these events allow us to get off campus and experience different modes of learning.”
“The Hopkins Festival really connects all majors at John Carroll to fun and free events. I’m not from the Cleveland area, so I really appreciate how John Carroll’s proximity to the city and these events allow us to get off campus and experience different modes of learning.”
Even students beyond the Department of English have expressed strong engagement in Hopkins Festival programming, like Bart Kubis ’27, an accounting major who has attended several events this semester.
“The experience I’ve had with the Hopkins Festival has been phenomenal,” said Kubis. “Having the opportunity to see professionals perform their work in music and acting has inspired me and helped me appreciate the amazing work they do. Art is a way of connecting, and it feels amazing being able to watch outstanding live music and plays that the Hopkins Festival offers to students like me.”
Honoring a Lifelong Love of Literature and the Arts
The experiences offered through the Hopkins Festival of the Arts closely reflect the passions of its namesakes. Barbara Schubert ’62, ’67G, ’80G, emeritus member of the University’s Board of Directors and recipient of the 2007 Alumni Medal, notes that her in-laws, Helen and Leland Schubert, shared a lifelong love of literature, music, and the performing arts.
Schubert recalls how the two were “subscribers to the Cleveland Orchestra, often attended theater performances in Cleveland and elsewhere, and spent many hours reading their favorite poems and fiction passages to each other. They would appreciate the opportunity being given to John Carroll students to have similar experiences.”
This spring promises an entirely new series of experiences for students, including trips to see the Cleveland Orchestra, a performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth presented by Great Lakes Theater Co. at The Hanna Theater, Literary Cleveland’s Poetry Festival, and more.
Information about these events will be shared with students throughout the semester.
