Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College has received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to fund growth in new academic programs. The College will launch its first doctoral program, add new programs in kinesiology and exercise science and develop a faculty fellowship to support innovative and strategic ideas.
“We’ve been very intentional about how to grow the institution, and adding doctoral programs is the next logical step for us. Lilly Endowment’s grant will help bring to fruition a plan to expand enrollment through adding mission-fit programs, which we will deliver with distinction,” said Dottie King, Ph.D., president. “We are extremely grateful for this support of education and innovation as a way to grow our College, community, region and state.”
Lilly Endowment announced this week that SMWC is one of 38 institutions to receive funding as part of the Charting the Future for Indiana’s Colleges and Universities initiative, which is designed to address challenges affecting higher education throughout the state.
“Our most pressing challenge is to maintain the momentum we have seen over the past five years, while continuing to evolve sustainably,” said King. “We are looking to the future with a focus on institutional mission, enrollment growth and innovation. Careful, mission-focused planning is fed by institutional, community and regional workforce data, recognition of areas of broad institutional strength and a deep commitment to student success.”
“These are challenging times for colleges and universities, made more so because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher education leaders recognize that they have to adapt to the changing demographics of undergraduate students, the importance of technology in education and the ever-growing need for students to be career-ready upon graduation,” said Ted Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education. “Leaders in Indiana are responding to these and other challenges with thoughtful, strategic and collaborative approaches that we believe can improve the financial sustainability of the institutions and the education experiences of their students.”
The funding will help the College launch of a Doctor of Philosophy in Global Leadership Studies (DLS), building on the long success of SMWC’s Master of Leadership Development program. The 60-credit program will be geared to working professionals looking for the knowledge and skills to lead and motivate people while developing big picture strategies. The DLS will launch in hybrid format in August 2021 and in a fully online format in February 2023 and will include a study abroad experience.
The grant will also fund the launch of undergraduate degrees in kinesiology for fall 2020 and exercise science for fall 2021, allowing the College to offer two high-demand programs. The proposal included a request for capital funds for two new classrooms along with equipment needed for the program.
“With the addition of nursing in 2015, we have worked strategically to expand into healthcare associated fields such as healthcare administration, health and wellness and paramedic science, the latter to be launched in early 2021,” explained Janet Clark, Ph.D., vice president for academic and student affairs. “With these programs, SMWC will be able to broaden offerings for students who wish to serve in health-related fields such as pre-medical and pre-physical therapy. It will also meet the needs of a growing number of student-athletes who are interested in physical performance professions.”
SMWC launched its baccalaureate nursing program in 2014 with a $1 million grant received from Lilly Endowment.
SMWC will use a portion of this latest grant to establish the Charting the Future Faculty Fellowship Program, which will promote faculty-driven ideas and activities with potential to create positive change and future growth opportunities.
“Ideas selected for the fellowship program will be those with the best potential to strengthen the College and increase its sustainability for future generations,” said Clark. “We’re hoping to see this ignite faculty engagement and leadership by providing resources to support the faculty in implementing their most creative, innovative ideas.”
“We’re looking for the next big idea for The Woods,” added Clark.
SMWC received a $100,000 planning grant in December 2019 in the first phase of Charting the Future. The $1 million funding is part of the initiative’s second phase to implement programs. A third phase of funding will award competitive grants totaling $40 million to select institutions in 2021 for projects that seek to have large-scale impact on their campuses and in Indiana.