About the ICJS
The dual purpose of the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies is research and education -- to foster Jefferson scholarship and to disseminate its findings. The activities of the Center are diverse and multidisciplinary. It is a residential site for individual Jefferson scholars and teachers, as well as a venue for lectures, seminars, and conferences. The Center seeks a central role in the ongoing study of Thomas Jefferson internationally by supporting a wide range of inquiry; by building a network of scholars, teachers, and resources; by helping to define new areas of investigation; and by promoting the application of new technologies to Jefferson scholarship. An Advisory Board of acclaimed scholars and statesmen helps guide the Center's activities.
The Center was created in 1994 by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the private, nonprofit corporation that owns and operates Monticello, in cooperation with the University of Virginia. The University's land and facilities at Kenwood are leased to the Foundation, which has sole responsibility for the Center's financial support and administration. In 2004, the Center was endowed in perpetuity through a very generous gift from Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Smith.
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