Trine University receives $17 million grant from Lilly Endowment

Trine University has been awarded $17.2 million from Lilly Endowment’s College and Community Collaboration initiative. The initiative seeks to help Indiana’s colleges and universities strengthen their local communities and turn them into places people want to live and work. Using the funding from this grant, Trine University will focus on workforce training and development, establishing a new esports arena, and establishing a new community park.

According to an article on Trine University’s website, the president of Trine University, Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., said of the grant, “Over my 25 years, Trine University and higher education institutions across Indiana have been and continue to be blessed by the great work of Lilly Endowment. We appreciate everything they do to make this state a better place to learn, work and live. Through the support provided by this initiative, we look forward to a future filled with shared success and community advancement for Trine University, Steuben County and northeast Indiana.”

Among the projects that are being funded by the grant from Lilly Endowment are The Mark and Sarah Music/Ruoff Mortgage Esports Arena, which is set to open this month, the John and Mary Pellegrino Design and Technical Training Center, and the Sheets Community Park. The Esports Arena will enhance both the campus community and the larger community as a whole by providing an inclusive place for collaboration. The project converted an old auditorium classroom into the arena space. The Design and Technical Training Center will provide a place for workforce training to help prepare students for careers in engineering and manufacturing. Finally, Sheets Community Park is a community green space that will encourage social engagement and engagement with nature for people of all abilities. More green spaces are planned, such as trails, to connect the campus with the larger community.

Gretchen M. Miller, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Trine University, shared her thoughts about the grant, saying, “We are profoundly grateful to Lilly Endowment for this generous grant, which will empower Trine University to significantly expand its community impact. This funding enables us to take substantial strides in our collaborative efforts to enhance the vibrancy of our campus and the opportunities available to our community members. With our exceptional area partners, we are excited to continue this journey of positive growth, ensuring an enriched quality of life for everyone involved.”

Trine University is one of 13 colleges and universities that received this College and Community Collaboration funding from Lilly Endowment.

For more information about Trine University, visit the school’s website.