Edinboro University faculty members engaging in professional research now have another option to help fund their scholarly activity, thanks to a new partnership between the Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) and the Edinboro University Foundation.Faculty members can apply for up to $1,000 – from the recently launched Edinboro Foundation Faculty Grant to Support Scholarly Activity – to be used towards research or scholarly projects and materials – including equipment, professional travel or scholarly conferences.Dr. Ron Craig, director of the CFE and Psychology professor at Edinboro, said that not only will these grants support faculty development and scholarly work, it will also enhance the quality of educational experience for Edinboro students.
“Whether continuing to develop a current line of scholarly activity or branching out to a new area, our students directly benefit from the knowledge and experience faculty bring to the classroom from engaging in this type of work,” he said. “To provide a world-class educational experience, faculty must remain current in their discipline. One way faculty can stay cutting-edge is to engage in the types of scholarly activities this grant will support.”
Representatives from the CFE will assist in reviewing applications and project proposals, followed by a committee review through the Edinboro University Foundation.
Charles Scalise, executive director of the Edinboro University Foundation, said that this project – in conjunction with the Office of the President – recognizes the creative work of Edinboro’s faculty and invites members to create innovative projects and research.
“The Edinboro University Foundation has worked effectively to invest and leverage gifts from donors assuring scholarships to students and financial support to the University are readily available,” he said. “An investment in our faculty is an investment in the vibrancy of the University for the benefit of our students.”
— Charles Scalise, executive director of the Edinboro University Foundation
Following the grant reward, recipients must give a final presentation of the project to the campus community within 12 months of completion of the project, coordinated through the CFE. Recipients must also document the final project, whether a publication, conference paper, recording of a concert or exhibition and provide a copy to the University Foundation.
“This grant will enable faculty to explore new research and scholarly interests,” said Edinboro faculty member Dr. Samuel Claster, president of the Edinboro chapter of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF). “Whether it provides seed money to assist with data collection, support for travel to academic conferences, or development money for research tied to new program development, this grant will provide needed support for faculty scholarly excellence.”
The deadline for submitting funding applications for the spring 2022 semester is Nov. 1. For more information about applying for support from the fund, please email the CFE at cfe@edinboro.edu.