Ursuline College receives grant to expand Rust Belt Humanities Lab

Ursuline College’s Rust Belt Humanities Lab has received more support from the Teagle Foundation in the amount of $25,000. The Foundation’s total monetary support for the Rust Belt Humanities Lab is $130,000 since 2024. The Rust Belt Humanities Lab is a humanities initiative to educate students on the Rust Belt region’s culture, economy, and society. This continued support from the Teagle Foundation comes at a time when Ursuline College is planning a merger with Gannon University, so the grant will help strengthen the foundation of the merged institutions.

According to an article on Ursuline College’s website, David King, Ph.D., the college’s president, is quoted as saying, “The Teagle Foundation’s continued support affirms the academic strength and shared mission that unite Ursuline College and Gannon University. This investment expands high-impact humanities learning that prepares students to think critically about place, identity, and responsibility as we move toward a unified institution.”

Ursuline College has been nationally recognized for its place-based humanities education. As the college merges with Gannon University, the curriculum of the Rust Belt Humanities Institute will span both of the institutions. Ursuline’s Department of English and Rust Belt Humanities Lab faculty includes Katie Trostel, Hayley Verdi, and Valentino Zullo, and they will partner with Gannon University’s Jeff Bloodworth, Ann Bomberger, and Robyn Gaier, to explore shared stories around Lake Erie. 

Katie Trostel, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of English and the Co-Director of the Rust Belt Humanities Lab, said, “The Teagle Foundation’s support has had a clear and measurable impact on how our students understand their values and their responsibility to the region.”

For more information about Ursuline College, visit the school’s website.