The grant project, called Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith, will help students pursue faith-based leadership roles.
Bluffton University has received a $60,000 NetVue grant from Lilly Endowment to support its project called Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith. The grant comes from the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) through the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), which is supported by Lilly Endowment. The grant will help students pursue faith-based leadership roles.
According to an article on Bluffton University’s website, university president Dr. Alex Sider was quoted as saying of the grant funding, “Bluffton University has long been committed to helping students discern their calling and live lives of purpose. This grant provides meaningful support for that mission, allowing us to expand opportunities for students to explore leadership within communities of faith and to connect their values with real-world impact.”
The Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith project will run for two years, from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2028. The goal of the project is to make it possible for students to pursue their faith and leadership roles within that faith, helping individuals follow their purpose. The project will accomplish this through the development of programming and the sharing of stories in both internal and external contexts.
Kathy Dickson, who serves as the senior director of advancement and special projects, said, “Support from NetVUE and CIC allows us to build on the strong foundation already in place at Bluffton. This grant will help us create intentional pathways for students who feel called to lead and serve in faith communities, while also strengthening connections between campus, alumni and broader faith networks.”
Among the programming the university will develop through this grant are ones that encourage reflection and mentorship through hands-on learning experiences, supporting the university’s mission to help students explore their faith, their capacity for leadership, and their ability to connect with their communities.
For more information about Bluffton University, visit the school’s website.