Concordia University, Nebraska Academic Excellence and Innovation Fund awards 14 grants

Concordia University, Nebraska’s Academic Excellence and Innovation Fund was created to encourage and celebrate faculty and student scholarship, placing particular focus on the intersection of faith and specific disciplines as well as critical issues in the family, church and world. The grants provide funds to support scholarship, providing resources to guide scholarly efforts. The fund was developed as part of the university’s SALT and LIGHT strategic plan. 

The Academic Excellence and Innovation Fund Committee was formed in summer 2024 and is comprised of the university’s provost, chief financial officer, three faculty members and one staff member. University President Dr. Bernard Bull also serves on the committee as an ex officio member.  

“Periodically, the committee receives new academic initiative proposals from across campus and reviews them for the potential of awarding funds,” explained Concordia Nebraska Chief Operating Officer Kim Boyce. “The committee may decide to fund all or part of the amount requested. If the committee declines to fund an application, it provides guidance for the person submitting the proposal on how the proposal could be reconsidered in the future.”  

This Academic Excellence and Innovation Fund is directly connected to a portion of the university’s Salt and Light Strategic Plan to launch new academic initiatives.

In August 2024, Academic Excellence and Innovation Fund committee received twelve grant applications. The committee awarded nine of the twelve grant requests, some in part, but most in full amounts requested.  

August 2024 awards included: 

• Funding to support an early childhood initiative in partnership with Lutheran schools, districts and organizations.  

• Funding to purchase two LightBoards for the university. 

• Funding to purchase Vernier physiology lab equipment, providing hands-on, data-driven experiences for human anatomy and physiology students.  

• Funding to revise the university’s MPH 505 biostatistics curriculum to integrate STEM initiatives and offer professional development credit, enhancing student engagement and workforce readiness.  

• Funding to support the purchase of psychological tests for educational purposes.  

• Funding to provide qualitative and quantitative statistical software for empirical and applied research projects to better equip human and social sciences students for future careers and service to the community 

• Funding to support a campus-based mission team and trip leader training series for interested faculty and staff, followed by an on-site travel experience for these future campus trip leaders to practice best practices in leading mission teams and travel experiences.  

• Funding to support a geospatial/geography graduate school relationship between Concordia Nebraska and South Dakota State University.  

• Funding to present the Nebraska Tech Builders Challenge, a rural innovation & technology competition hosted on campus. 

In November 2024, the Academic Excellence and Innovation Fund Committee reviewed the second round of eleven new academic initiative proposals, and awarded five grants that will be funded this fiscal year. One of the grants awarded in the second round was a modified proposal from the first round, demonstrating the committee’s commitment to genuinely consider proposals that are adjusted and resubmitted. 

November 2024 awards included: 

• Funding to provide ongoing faculty and staff development. 

• Funding to support the creation of a “Low Brass Day” to promote the music department. 

• Funding to support the creation of “Project Hatch” for the agriculture department. 

• Funding to provide for law school connections for the criminal justice department. 

• Funding to present a collaborative conference with Westfield House, a Lutheran liberal arts college located in Cambridge. 

“This Academic Excellence and Innovation Fund is directly connected to a portion of the university’s Salt and Light Strategic Plan to launch new academic initiatives. Fundraising efforts have provided seed funding for new academic communities such as Paul, Uzziah and Micah Scholars,” added Boyce. “With the support of our faithful donors directing gifts for these initiatives, the Academic Excellence and Innovation Fund was able to begin in 2024.” 

In order to guide the university now and into the future, we update our vision statement every five years. The current vision theme is SALT and LIGHT 2028. Concordia University, Nebraska will cultivate a community of academic excellence grounded in the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions to be SALT and LIGHT in the home, church and world.