Whether in a classroom on the Bloomington campus or in the nation's capital, Bruce Cole's career has been a testament to the importance of the humanities in enriching our lives. A Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts at IU, Cole was chosen by President George W. Bush to chair the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in fall 2001.

The author of 15 books, Cole is internationally renowned for his scholarship in art history. His work, in fact, has changed the way Renaissance art is perceived and studied. At IU, Cole pioneered the teaching of seminars related to exhibitions at the IU Art Museum. Many of his students have gone on to important careers in academia and the arts, publishing books, exhibition catalogues, and articles in international art journals.

Cole formerly served as chair of the Department of the History of Art at IU's Hope School of Fine Arts. He was also a professor of comparative literature. He has held fellowships and grants from numerous foundations throughout his academic career.

As chair of NEH, Cole is the nation's leading spokesperson for the humanities. Stressing the importance of a liberal university education in a recent speech, he cited the values implicit in the study of the humanities: "fearless exchange of ideas, respect for individual conscience, and belief in the power of education."