Mellon Grants 2015-2017

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Mellon Grants 2015-2017

Faculty Formation to Support Liberal Learning for All, a CSB Humanities grant ($100,000) from the Mellon Foundation, focused on expressing the value of the liberal arts and developing students’ skills of analytical reasons, expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving throughout their college career.

Faculty Development to Engage Increasingly Diverse Students, an SJU First-Year Seminar (FYS) Grant ($100,000) from the Mellon Foundation, provided professional development for faculty who teach First-Year Seminar. It focused on addressing classroom experiences, skills development, and navigating the available resources on campus for American students of color. 

Our approach included an extensive review of current teaching and advising practices, multiple faculty development opportunities, and a national dissemination effort. As a pilot program creating a cohort of both humanities and FYS faculty, this grant allowed us to identify best practices for targeted faculty development and allowed us to facilitate the academic success of CSB/SJU students. 

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Goals of the 2015-2017 Mellon Grants

For Faculty Development:

  1. Evaluate current state of Humanities and FYS faculty development in support of inclusive and effective teaching and mentorship for all students;
  2. Understand the strengths, needs, attitudes, cultures, and expectations of American students of color, and to help Humanities and FYS faculty incorporate this knowledge into their teaching and advising;
  3. Understand and address the small but significant gaps in retention and graduation of American students of color on our campuses;
  4. Provide development for Humanities and FYS faculty to improve advising techniques to help American students of color further engage in the liberal arts;
  5. Create a more inclusive environment in and out of the classroom;
  6. Create faculty cohorts better prepared to help students grow in their ability to express themselves clearly and effectively, listen to others “with the ear of the heart,” and challenge one another respectfully;
  7. Create Humanities and FYS faculty cohorts who will serve as peer resources for one another during and after the grant period.

For American Students of Color:

Provide American students of color with a better understanding of the expectations and assumptions of Humanities and FYS faculty;
American students of color will have an increased appreciation for the value of a liberal arts education.

Press Release

CSB and SJU each receive $100,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation  https://www.csbsju.edu/news/mellon-grant-2015

Selected Activities Funded by the Grants

SPRING/SUMMER 2016

FALL 2016-SUMMER 2017