University awarded grant to advance character and community-engaged learning

Education

Jul 14

Calvin University has been awarded a $488,000 Institutional Impact Grant by the Educating Character Initiative (ECI) at the Program for Leadership and Character. The three-year grant will fund a bold new initiative to connect character formation with community-engaged learning, reinforcing Calvin’s mission to form not just minds but whole persons.

The grant, titled Forming Virtue through Community-Engaged Learning, builds on Calvin’s long-standing commitment to integrating faith, learning, and service. It will support faculty and staff development, strengthen community partnerships, and create new opportunities for Calvin students to explore character and calling through real-world engagement.

“When we talk about education at Calvin, we’re not just focused on what students know or can do,” said Noah Toly, Provost, Calvin University. “We’re focused on who they are becoming. This grant allows us to connect our deep roots in virtue formation with the hands-on, community-based learning experiences that shape lives.”

The initiative will focus on three exemplary programs that embody this integrated approach: Community-based nursing, Calvin’s most mature model of community-engaged learning; Plaster Creek Stewards, a long-standing, interdisciplinary sustainability initiative; The Wayfinder program, a humanities-based exploration of calling for barrier-facing adult learners.

“This grant will help us enhance the impact of these programs and make the good work Calvin is doing more visible and more connected,” said Kevin den Dulk, Associate Provost, Calvin University. “It also gives faculty and staff the space to reflect on and share their work more widely—work that has often been hidden under a bushel.”

Beginning in August 2025, Calvin will begin building institutional capacity by launching an Office of Community Partnerships and providing professional development for faculty and staff. In 2026, the initiative will expand to include course development, co-curricular programming, and opportunities to share best practices through scholarly writing and public engagement.

“This is not just about what we do at Calvin,” said Toly. “It’s about joining a larger conversation—co-creating with our community partners, sharing our insights with academic and public audiences, and helping to shape how Christian higher education thinks about character and civic responsibility.”

The Educating Character Initiative supports institutions that are committed to excellence in character education. Calvin is one of a select group of universities receiving this year’s Institutional Impact Grant.

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