Great teaching is the hallmark of a Valpo education. Each graduate can recall a faculty member who inspired them and changed her or his life for the better. With half of Valpo’s faculty reaching retirement age within the next decade, it is now time to shape the faculty of the future. The endowed funds secured by Forever Valpo: The Campaign for Our Future will reward faculty for their scholarship and accomplishments, compensate them at competitive levels, and provide them with exceptional opportunities for professional development.
DEANSHIPS, FACULTY CHAIRS, AND PROFESSORSHIPS
DEAN OF COLLEGE OR SCHOOL | $5,000,000
Endowment of a dean’s chair demonstrates a significant commitment to Valpo and provides the visionary leaders of our colleges with sustained support to advance the teaching, scholarship, research, and programs that will shape the faculty of the future. Universities with endowed deanships have a distinct advantage in recruiting and retaining the best possible deans.
CHAIR | $3,000,000
Endowed chair positions are designations of scholarly excellence, typically conferred upon the most distinguished scholars and teachers, and used to recruit new faculty or to reward and retain current faculty. The funding generated by the endowment ensures the appointed faculty has the resources available to take their scholarship to the next level.
PROFESSORSHIP | $1,000,000
Professorships recognize and reward the exceptional scholarship of current faculty. They are highly prized within the academic community and are powerful tools in retaining top faculty members. The positions have three-year terms and are often are funded by alumni who wish to recognize a professor who made a lasting impact on them.
FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
CAMBRIDGE FACULTY PROGRAM FUND | $5,000,000
This endowment will fund the Cambridge Faculty Program, the hallmark, mission-focused on-boarding activity, which has effectively prepared new faculty for a lifetime of teaching and service at Valpo since 2001. Continuance of the program is critical, as nearly half of our faculty members will reach retirement age within the next decade.
STUDENT–FACULTY RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP | $750,000
This endowment will support collaborative student–faculty research projects at Valpo, providing students with the opportunity to work side by side with faculty on research initiatives in their related field of study. The funds will support the projects and be used for stipends, wages, supplies, travel, and/or summer housing allowance.
FACULTY FELLOWSHIP | $250,000
The endowed faculty fellowship will provide resources for faculty to participate in significant scholarly, pedagogical, or teaching projects. The fellowship typically includes reassignment of one course for a single semester, providing time for grant writing, publishing, presenting, or new course development.
FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AWARD | $100,000
Faculty support for significant scholarly, teaching, or pedagogical projects that typically include substantial travel, especially international, will be provided with this endowed fund. Selection is through a competitive process and the projects must have clear outcomes and measurements and be completed within two academic years.
FACULTY TEACHING AND LEARNING INNOVATION AWARD | $100,000
This endowed fund will provide mini-grants to faculty for on-campus scholarly, teaching, and pedagogical projects. These competitive awards will be selected by a faculty committee, with dean and provost approval, for projects to be completed with a single academic year.
SCHOLARS AND PRACTITIONERS
DISTINGUISHED VISITING PROFESSOR OR GUEST ARTIST | $1,000,000
Visiting professors and guest artists serve as in-residence experts and offer a fresh perspective that will enrich educational experiences in the host college or school through scholarship, faculty development, and programming. Endowed support will be used to fund several visiting professors or guest artists throughout the academic year or one individual up to a full semester.
EXECUTIVE-IN-RESIDENCE FOR COLLEGE | $500,000
This endowment will provide funds for notable executives or professionals to be in-residence at Valpo within a specific college or school. During their short-term residencies, the executives will visit classes, work with students, lead faculty workshops, and mentor students and faculty on their area of expertise.
VISITING LECTURER | $500,000
Visiting lecturers will be on the Valpo campus for one semester or less, during which time they will teach one or two courses and provide pedagogical faculty development within a college or school. Endowed support will provide funds for compensation.
LECTURE SERIES FOR COLLEGE OR SCHOOL | $500,000
An endowed lecture series within a school or college will provide an ongoing forum for faculty and students to listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue on a variety of discipline-related topics addressing the key issues in their field of study.