The grant was awarded to the college in honor of former Mellon Foundation president and Concordia College alumnus Dr. Earl Lewis '78. The grant will be used for college projects that reflect Lewis’ leadership initiatives. Lewis has been a member of the Board of Regents, the college’s governing board, and has previously helped fund diversity scholarships along with alumna Fay Ferguson '73.
The grant will be used for endowment and operating funds to support faculty development, scholarships for students from underrepresented backgrounds, program planning for the Office of Diversity, and support for the college’s partnership with the National Book Foundation.
“We are pleased to have this new funding to extend initiatives already begun by the college and are grateful for Dr. Lewis’ dedication to Concordia and to the Mellon Foundation,” said Dr. Eric Eliason, dean of the college and vice president for academic affairs. “Each of these projects will expand the college’s reach and benefit the entire campus community.”
The projects selected are intended to enhance faculty innovation, strengthen the college’s ability to include students from a wider range of backgrounds, and supports the arts through the college’s partnership with the National Book Foundation.