News

Press Release

New York, NY (June 29, 2009) - Today, the Teagle Foundation announced over $1.5 million in new grants to fund 16 projects that involve more than 40 colleges, universities and other institutions focused on higher education.

"The momentum towards improved student engagement and learning continues to build, even during the economic downtown. At the Teagle Foundation, we want to do our part by supporting exemplary projects that will really make a difference in the educational experience of college students," said W. Robert Connor, President of the Teagle Foundation. Nine projects to develop and implement evidence-based programs to strengthen student learning -- six involving multi-institutional collaboration and three based on individual campuses -- will be supported by Teagle's Outcomes and Assessment program.

The Foundation's Board of Directors also approved five grants that will explore the "Big Questions" of meaning and value as they play out in the work of the scholarly disciplines. This series of projects grew out of earlier Foundation initiatives on "big questions" of meaning and value and on the changing role of the disciplines in liberal education.

Additionally, the Teagle Foundation continues to pledge its support to higher education through grants at both the community and national levels. Mr. Connor explains that, "While most of our grants go to colleges and other organizations that work directly with students, the Teagle Foundation also wants to strengthen the infrastructure that supports such work. That is why we are supporting PASE, which is doing so much to help community-based organizations with their pre-collegiate programs in New York City. At the national level, we are delighted to continue our support for the "New Leadership Alliance for Student Learning and Accountability," which is working as part of the higher education community to develop strategies for enhancing student learning on the basis of evidence and ensuring broader public awareness of this work."

Outcomes and Assessment Grants

The Foundation's Outcomes and Assessment initiative is based on the belief that nothing has more potential to affect students' educational experiences than programs that build on the information gained through appropriate and systematic assessment of what they learn.

Bates College and Bowdoin College -- $148,780
"Refining Quantitative Reasoning Curricula"

Bryn Mawr College, Haverford College, and Swarthmore College -- $149,947
"Beyond the Reaccreditation Self-Study: Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore Colleges Collaborate to Develop Best Practices for Effective and Sustainable Department-level Assessment of Student Learning"

Colgate University -- $75,000
"The Core Curriculum and Student Learning in the Liberal Arts: Developing Systematic Improvement Strategies for a Program in Transition"

Connecticut College, Allegheny College, Colorado College, and Franklin Pierce University -- $150,000
"Data into Action: Using Assessment Data with Faculty to Improve Student Learning"

New Leadership Alliance for Student Learning and Accountability -- $150,000
"Organizational Start-up Funds"

Randolph-Macon College -- $75,000
"Systematic Improvements in Student Learning"

Spelman College and Smith College -- $74,900
"The Spelman College/Smith College Collaborative: Developing Authentic Metrics to Assess Student Learning"

Trinity College -- $72,780
"Faculty Driven Learning Assessment at Trinity College"

University of Colorado at Boulder and Colorado College -- $148,154
"Assessment of Critical Thinking and Civic Engagement Strategies"

Wittenberg University, Alma College, Augustana College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Luther College, and Washington & Jefferson College -- $149,800
"Structuring Faculty Work Explicitly Around Student Learning"

Fresh Thinking Grants

Teagle's Fresh Thinking initiative encourages sustained analysis of ideas and issues that can help strengthen and define the goals of liberal education.

American Folklore Society -- $75,000
"What is the Relationship of Lay and Expert Knowledge in a Complex Society?"

National Women's Studies Association -- $72,089
"Intersecting the Liberal Arts: Rethinking the Theory-Practice Relationship through Women's Studies"

North Carolina State University, Davidson College, and Duke University -- $75,000
"The Rule of Law and the Construction of the Self"

Samford University, Birmingham-Southern College, Miles College, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and University of Montevallo -- $75,000
"Framing Teaching and Research in the Sciences and Mathematics by the 'Big Questions' of Meaning and Value"

Stanford University, Mills College, University of California at Berkeley, and University of California at Santa Cruz -- $74,900
"What is a Reader?"

Grants for College Preparatory Programs at CBOs

Given the significance of college preparatory programs for high school students, the Foundation is proud to continue their direct support of New York City community-based organizations.

Partnership for Afterschool Education -- $75,000
"Supporting Afterschool Agencies in Turbulent Times"

Please visit www.teagle.org to read detailed descriptions for these projects as well as for more information on the Foundation and all its programs.

About the Teagle Foundation
The Teagle Foundation is committed to providing intellectual and financial leadership in the effort to promote and strengthen liberal education.

Contact information:

Teagle Contact:
Donna Heiland
212-373-1972