I am proud to introduce Ben as the first PLV Scholarship recipient who applied as part of our recent partnership with the Newport Harbor Educational Foundation. Ben’s application essay on the importance of studying the humanities touched on many of the ideas expressed in the introduction to my Black Lives Matter post: namely the need to bridge differences in a polarized political climate by combating ignorance and hostility with curiosity, understanding, and an increased appreciation for diversity. As a Global Studies major, Ben hopes to examine the cultural frameworks that underlie our common humanity in order to someday make an impact on a national or international level. Global Studies is…