DWU Campus Ministry receives national Student Chaplaincy grant

MITCHELL – The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), through its Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), has awarded NetVUE Grants for Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith to 23 institutions across the U.S. totaling over $1,200,000. Dakota Wesleyan University’s Campus Ministry received $59,700 to help establish a Student Chaplain Ministry Cohort to serve area churches.

DWU will use the funds to expand a student chaplain ministry cohort, providing a structured setting for students to explore vocation with peers, guided by university pastors and local faith leaders. The project will offer student stipends and micro-grants for partnerships with local faith communities, encouraging young leaders and congregations to test new models of ministry and relational service. Weekly cohort reflection, mentoring by faith leaders and hands-on leadership roles will give students agency as they discern callings to diverse forms of faith leadership both on campus and in the community. The university will also develop a practice-based faith leadership certificate.

DWU Campus Pastor the Rev. Dr. Anthony Purcell is gratified to have been selected for one of the grants. “We feel called to invest in creating spaces for students to encounter God and explore their callings as they grow in the faith leadership skills that the Church needs. With NetVUE’s support, DWU will connect students with local faith communities, helping students form lifelong patterns of faith and service within an intergenerational ministry context. All of this is possible because of DWU’s campus community – what we're creating together is due to an amazing team of supportive faculty and staff that brings this mission to life for our students.”

These grants support programming for students designed to connect them to local faith communities and to support them as they discern their callings. CIC and its NetVUE program are grateful for the support of Lilly Endowment Inc., which makes this grant possible. This is the third year that this NetVUE grant was awarded, bringing the total to 64 Grants for Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith awarded to member institutions.

“We are delighted to announce the third cohort of NetVUE Grants for Fostering Leadership for Communities,” said Carter Aikin, NetVUE grants director. “Each exciting project forges new partnerships with worshipping communities and creates pathways for mentoring undergraduate students as they discern and explore the unique vocation of faith community leadership. We extend our congratulations and deep gratitude to all whose projects were selected for support.”

NetVUE empowers independent colleges and universities to guide undergraduates in exploring and discerning their many callings in life. This cohort of grant recipients is advancing the conversation about vocation through partnership programs with the community, engagement with interfaith questions, strategic programming on campus, and redesigned class or internship programs. For more information about each project, visit the NetVUE website.