Global Solidarity Grant Deadline Extended- APPLY NOW!

Is your campus advancing Catholic mission through a globally focused project? Apply now for a 2018 Global Solidarity Grant!

Campus initiatives addressing societal issues such as, but not limited to issues surrounding migration, human trafficking, or global sustainability may be eligible to receive a 2018 Global Solidarity Grant.

Sponsored by the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities and Catholic Relief Services, Global Solidarity Grants aim to support projects that are innovative and high-impact, that combine prayer, spiritual development, and the examination of values with educational objectives. ACCU member institutions working creatively to advance Catholic mission through global solidarity are encouraged to apply now and be considered for an award of up to $3,000.

The deadline to apply for a grant has been extended to Friday, November 9! Visit the ACCU website for more details about how your campus can receive a Global Solidarity Grant!

For questions, please contact njalandoni@accunet.org.

Boston College Receives Grant to Work with Underserved Students

Congratulations to the Lynch School of Education at Boston College for being rewarded a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation! This grant will “engage low-income high school students in a science and emerging agricultural technology project, designed to guide them in conducting scientific research and prepare them for post-secondary scientific study.” This project, called the “Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers,” will involve 30 Boston public school students from populations that are underrepresented in science.

This project will help prepare students for post-secondary education and will give them the opportunity to fulfill future career aspirations. Lynch School Professor of Science Education, Michael Barnett, notes “This program will build on the capacity of our youth participants to make potential scientific discoveries, as well as develop youth leaders who will become role models in their community through mentorship.”

To read more about the grant received by Boston College, visit Boston College news.

Wheeling Jesuit University Receives Grant to Aid Hands on Learning

A recent collaboration between Wheeling Jesuit University and the University’s Bishop Hodges Library has resulted in funding from the Appalachian College Association (ACA) that will purchase LEGOS that will benefit grade school students that the university serves. This funding was thanks to two English majors at the university that wanted to expand the school’s curriculum resource center. The two began the work of writing the grant which they note as being difficult but also providing a valuable learning opportunity to apply what they have learned in the classroom.

The funding will “allow the library staff to purchase LEGOs and other materials that allow Wheeling Jesuit students, particularly those studying to be teachers, to develop hands-on learning programs that can be used in the classroom.” The LEGOs will serve as a learning tool by which children can “be more self-sufficient in their intellectual growth” and will help educators “develop fresh, innovative ways to incorporate hands-on learning into teaching.” This collaboration which resulted in the funding shows how WJU is committed to expanding their resources across academic disciplines.

To read more about this collaboration, visit WJU news.

Georgetown Professor Receives Grant to Study Impact of Weather Changes on Animals

Georgetown University biology professor, Leslie Ries, is studying the “impact of climate change and natural disasters on the springtime emergence of plants, birds and insects.” Ries has received several grants from the National Science Foundation to research how monarch butterfly habitats have changed in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. These grants give Ries and her students the opportunity to study the impacts of climate change and natural disasters in order to determine how to best respond to these changes.

Monarch butterflies make a multigenerational migration from Canada and the U.S. to Mexico each year, which makes the perfect species to examine in order to better understand climate change. Monarchs have been slowly declining for the past 20 years, with reasons attributed to the increase of tropical storms and hurricanes. Ries “sees her research as vital in helping people understand the impacts of climate change and major weather events on complex ecological systems.”

To read more about the research by Ries, visit Georgetown news.

Edgewood Colleges receives Grant for Violence Prevention

Congratulations to Edgewood College! Edgewood recently received a grant of nearly $300,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice. The funds “will be used to support ongoing efforts to enhance prevention of, awareness of, and the response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking on campus.” The college is partnering with the Rape Crisis Center, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, UnityPoint Meriter, and the Madison Police Department. Through this partnership the community will create a Coordinated Community Response Team. This group will “enhance mandatory dating violence prevention education for all incoming students; provide training for campus safety officers, hearing officers, faculty and staff;” as well as several other initiatives.

Dr. Scott Flanagan, President of Edgewood College said, “Edgewood College has a long-standing commitment to creating a learning environment free from violence of all types. We are grateful for the support of the Department of Justice and our community partners, and we are excited about the opportunity to advance our work in this important area.”

To read more about the grant received by Edgewood College, view Edgewood news.

University of Detroit Mercy receives Grant to Advance Counseling Program

University of Detroit Mercy has recently received a nearly $1 million grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. This four-year grant will offer university counseling students the opportunity to implement the Counseling Underserved Populations (CUSP) Project, “which offers specialized, enhanced training to master’s level counseling students with an emphasis on integrated health, trauma, poverty, and court-involvement.”

Nancy Calleja, program director and chair of Detroit Mercy’s counseling program, stated “this most recent funding further cements Detroit Mercy’s pivotal role as an essential partner in nationwide efforts to effectively prepare highly-skilled clinicians to work with those in greatest need.” The implementation of this grant fits with university mission of serving the most vulnerable in the local Detroit community.

To read more of this story, visit University of Detroit Mercy news.

Global Solidarity Grant Deadline Extended

The deadline to apply for a  Global Solidarity Grant, a collaborative initiative between ACCU and Catholic Relief Services University Engagement, has been extended.

Grant applications will be accepted until Friday, December 15, 2017.

The program offers small grants of up to $3,000 to ACCU member institutions to advance Catholic mission through global solidarity by developing creative projects or enhancing existing structures. Please visit the ACCU webpage for more details on project expectations and the applications process.