Beginning in 2006, the Ohio State University's Department of English used a 5-year grant awarded by OSU's College of Humanities to begin Project Narrative, an initiative designed to capitalize on the Department's unique—indeed, unprecedented—strengths in the area of narrative theory. The grant was awarded in the context of a campus-wide competition for Investing in Excellence funds, earmarked by the University for programs and initiatives that have the potential to enhance the prominence and reputation of OSU both nationally and internationally.
The Department of English now boasts ten professors who serve as the core faculty members of Project Narrative: Frederick Aldama, Katra Byram, Angus Fletcher, Brian McHale, Jared Gardner, Sean O'Sullivan, James Phelan, Amy Shuman, Robyn Warhol, and Julia Watson. All are well-established scholars in the field of narrative theory whose different but complementary expertise allow the activities of the Project to develop along an extensive cutting edge. With what is now arguably the best concentration of faculty expertise in narrative studies in North America, OSU has become a major center of narrative research and is thus positioned to attract the best graduate students in the field to the Department.