Organizational Overview

The Collective is currently in the planning stage, laying the groundwork to fulfill its mission of integrating humanistic studies and technology.

As part of this effort, the Collective is actively recruiting a board of directors and collaborators with diverse expertise in history, languages, archaeology, education, and technology. These individuals will play a pivotal role in guiding the organization, shaping its initiatives, and ensuring its long-term sustainability.

Simultaneously, the Collective is mapping out a comprehensive strategic plan centered on core activity, digital cultural preservation and presentation, and three supporting efforts. Each activity outlines our specific SMART goals.

SMART goals are a framework designed to create clear and actionable objectives that drive meaningful outcomes. Each goal is specific, defining exactly what needs to be accomplished to avoid ambiguity. By being measurable, SMART goals include criteria to track progress and evaluate success, ensuring accountability throughout the process. They are also achievable, grounded in realism to ensure they are attainable within available resources and constraints. Importantly, SMART goals are relevant, aligning closely with the organization’s priorities and mission to maximize impact. Finally, they are time-bound, with clear deadlines or timeframes that provide structure and urgency to the objectives, ensuring timely progress and completion. This approach transforms abstract aspirations into tangible results, making it an essential tool for effective planning and execution.

CORE ACTIVITY: Digital Cultural Preservation and Presentation.

We are committed to developing a robust preservation program to digitize and safeguard rare manuscripts, artifacts, and cultural materials, ensuring they remain accessible for future generations. In addition, we aim to create engaging digital intercultural presentations and exhibitions to showcase these preserved materials. These will be shared via our website, YouTube channel, digital events and conferences, and publications, making intercultural history accessible to diverse global audiences.

SMART Goals: 

Digitization and Access: By October 2025, digitize and catalog at least seventy-five rare manuscripts, artifacts, or cultural materials. Publish the materials in an accessible online archive on the Plus Ultra Collective website, ensuring they are licensed under Creative Commons for broad public use.

Digital Presentations and Exhibitions: Develop and release two (2) digital intercultural presentations or exhibitions by December 2025. These will feature preserved manuscripts and artifacts, with content highlighting key historical moments of intercultural exchange. Presentations will be published on our website, YouTube channel, and academic platforms, with a goal of reaching at least 1,000 unique views or downloads per presentation.

Collaborative Preservation Projects: Partner with two (2) academic or cultural institutions by September 2025 to develop collaborative preservation and exhibition projects. Each partnership will result in at least one co-branded digital exhibit or publication that engages scholars, educators, and the public.

Audience Engagement and Feedback: By November 2025, collect feedback through surveys from at least 300 viewers of digital exhibitions or presentations. Use the feedback to enhance accessibility, educational value, and engagement for future digital projects.

Supporting Effort 1: Mentorship and professional development.

We are committed to recruiting and mentoring early-career and mid-career educators and scholars, along with their students. The Collective will offer support for project development, grant writing, and integrating digital tools into teaching and research. Through workshops, citizen science, and preservation projects, participants will gain experience and access to a professional network, fostering their contributions to intercultural history. 

SMART Goals: 

Recruit and mentor at least 15 early-career and mid-career educators and scholars, by July 2025, providing each participant with two (2) one-on-one sessions for project development, grant writing, or digital tool integration.

By November 2025, organize two professional development workshops by November 2025, focused on grant writing and project development, with a minimum of 50% of attendees reporting improved skills and confidence in their field.

Supporting Effort 2: Digital humanities workshops.

We aim to design and implement educational workshops that equip students and educators with digital tools to explore and preserve historical case studies of intercultural exchange. These programs will focus on fostering digital literacy and the use of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality. 

SMART Goals: 

Conduct two (2) digital humanities workshops by December 2025, equipping at least 60 participants (students and educators) with skills in using AI, VR, and AR to explore intercultural exchange case studies, as measured by attendance and post-workshop surveys.

Develop and distribute digital toolkits for intercultural history projects to at least 75 educators and students by August 2025, with follow-up surveys showing 60% of recipients indicating they planned to apply the resources in their teaching or research

Supporting Effort 3: Sustainable activities via fundraising and alliances.

We are building a fundraising strategy to secure essential resources by seeking grants from foundations, federal and international agencies, and private sponsors. The organization is also forming strategic alliances with academic institutions, cultural organizations, and community groups to amplify its impact and share resources

SMART Goals: 

Submit 10 grant applications to state, federal, foundational, or international funding agencies by December 2025, securing at least $50,000 to support core activities.

Establish five new strategic partnerships with cultural organizations or community groups by November 2025 to enhance resource sharing and joint programming, with informal and formal agreements in place for collaborative activities.

By aligning its efforts to build a strong leadership team, articulate clear strategic goals, and secure financial support, the Collective is laying a solid foundation to fulfill its mission. These efforts are essential to establishing the organization as a leader in preserving and promoting intercultural understanding.