King University has been selected to receive a $250,000 grant from Wake Forest University’s Educating Character Initiative (ECI), a part of the Program for Leadership and Character.

The University was notified this week that its request, titled “Thoughtful, Resourceful, Responsible: Three Years Forming Character at King,” was one of only 24 grants to be awarded nationwide in 2024. King’s selection places the University in the company of such other institutions as the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Purdue, Harvard, and the U.S. Naval Academy, among others.

Through innovative teaching, creative programming, and cutting-edge research, the ECI aims to transform the lives of students, foster an inclusive culture of leadership and character, and catalyze a broader public conversation that places character at the center of leadership. The program is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.

Glenn Sanders, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and principal investigator on the proposal, believes the grant will further the university’s mission of preparing students to excel as well-rounded individuals with a passion for serving God, the Church, and the world.

“It is our mission to take the broader concept of what it means to be thoughtful, resourceful, and responsible and transform these ideas into daily actions,” said Sanders. “This grant will be instrumental in helping us do just that, as it helps fund faculty development opportunities, scholarship incentives, and collaborative dialogue, all aimed at identifying how we can strengthen these qualities in ourselves and our students.”

Funding begins in fall 2024 and will continue through 2027. Areas of emphasis include integrating the focus virtues more fully among King’s athletic teams, academic programs and virtual learning spaces, as well as encouraging the King community to pursue the vocation of servant-citizenship.

The project also includes opportunities for collaboration with other small colleges within Appalachia and neighboring states, extending the influence of the Educating Character Initiative in the process.

For more information on the 2024 grants, visit Wake Forest’s Educating Character Initiative announces $15.6M in grants to 29 institutions | Wake Forest News (wfu.edu).