Dallas Institute Awarded Hiett Prize to Roosevelt Montás
The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture named the Bard College professor as this year's prize recipient.
Updated on Sept. 20, 2026 in People
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The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture has named Roosevelt Montás the recipient of the Hiett Prize. The award recognizes the Bard College professor for his contributions to the humanities.
Why it matters
The Hiett Prize supports emerging leaders in the humanities who contribute to ideas regarding the human experience. It was established in 2005 by Kim Hiett Jordan.
The Hiett Prize carries a $100,000 cash award for the recipient. The honor is the first to be awarded since the Dallas Institute joined Dedman College at Southern Methodist University.
The players
Roosevelt Montás
He is a professor at Bard College and holds the Laura Y. Chang and Arnold Chavkin Professor in Liberal Education and Civic Life chair.
Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture
This organization selects the recipient of the Hiett Prize and recently joined Dedman College at Southern Methodist University.
Kim Hiett Jordan
She is the philanthropist who established the Hiett Prize in 2005.
Southern Methodist University
This university is the site of the upcoming programming honoring the prize recipient.
Bard College
This institution serves as the current academic home for the prize recipient.
The details
Roosevelt Montás, who joined the faculty at Bard College in 2025, holds the Laura Y. Chang and Arnold Chavkin Professor in Liberal Education and Civic Life chair. The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture will host programming in his honor at Southern Methodist University in October 2026.
Timeline
Kim Hiett Jordan established the Hiett Prize in 2005.
Roosevelt Montás joined the Bard College faculty in 2025.
Programming honoring Montás begins on October 15, 2026.
Programming honoring Montás concludes on October 16, 2026.
Market Landscape
This award marks the 2026 iteration of the Hiett Prize established in 2005. The selection positions the institute within the academic framework of Dedman College at Southern Methodist University.
Members of the public can attend the upcoming events at Southern Methodist University to hear from the recipient. These programs offer residents direct access to discourse on liberal education and the humanities.
The takeaway
The prize highlights the ongoing commitment to liberal education within the Dallas academic community. Residents interested in civic life and humanistic studies can engage with these ideas during the scheduled October 2026 programming.
What happens next
The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture will host programming honoring Roosevelt Montás at Southern Methodist University on October 15 and 16, 2026.
Further reading
Learn more about local academic and professional figures on the Dallas People section page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily Freeman.
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