2018 Sower Award

Pamela Hilton Snow of Ashland received the 2018 Sower Award in the Humanities on Tuesday, October 9 at a benefit reception and dinner held at Lincoln’s Embassy Suites hotel.

The Sower Award is presented annually to an individual who has made “a significant contribution to public understanding of the humanities in Nebraska.” This contribution can be through any combination of time, expertise, or resources, and the selection committee examines how the nominee has helped inspire and enrich personal and public life in our state through the humanities. 

Born and raised in Lincoln, Pamela Hilton Snow is known for her passion and commitment to the humanities in Nebraska. In his nomination letter, Robert Nefsky referred to Ms. Snow as “among those Nebraskans whose contributions to the humanities have made a real difference.”

A founding board member (1999-2006) and former executive director (2006-2014) of the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Ms. Snow’s long history of serving the humanities includes being a board member (1996-2006) and chair (1999-2000) of Nebraska Humanities Council, and board member (1999-2006) of the Nebraska Foundation for the Humanities. She was also instrumental in bringing the Great Plains Chautauqua to Grand Island, planning and consulting for the Nebraska Book Festival, and recruiting Humanities Nebraska board members. 

Ms. Snow has served on several other boards and is a current board member of the Cooper Foundation. She travelled to other state humanities councils as a National Endowment for the Humanities site visitor and consultant, and helped strengthen many other Nebraska institutions.

Edythe Manza, retired director of the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) Federal-State Partnership Division, wrote from Maryland, “During my time at NEH, I worked with dozens of site visitors. Pamela Hilton Snow was one of the best…[She] understands the importance of collaboration. She represented NEH in the highest professional way while also bringing distinction to Nebraska, its cultural institutions generally, and Humanities Nebraska in particular.” 

According to Kim West Dinsdale, Ms. Snow is known for her talent to create successful teams through her incredible leadership skills. “Her name is synonymous with the Humanities,” Dinsdale wrote. “It is out of respect for Pam and all that she has done that people are eager to say, ‘Yes!’” 

Ms. Snow is credited for her leadership, organization, philanthropy, knowledge and love for the arts and humanities. She is also a talented writer and photographer. Her hard work in Nebraska, specifically the Grand Island area, led to the creation and enhancement of many institutions of the humanities that have benefitted countless communities.