Teagle Foundation awards $225,000 grant to Augustana

Augustana College is celebrating a $225,000 Cornerstone: Learning for Living implementation grant from The Teagle Foundation. This prestigious grant builds on progress the college is making to redesign its general education curriculum, and fuels goals for advancing hands-on learning.

“We are thrilled and energized by this endorsement from The Teagle Foundation,” said Dr. Dianna Shandy, Augustana’s provost. “General education at Augustana isn’t just a requirement — it’s the spark that ignites our students’ intellectual journeys. This grant powers a bold leap forward in how we prepare students to think deeply, adapt confidently and thrive as lifelong learners in a rapidly changing world.”

Augustana’s general education curriculum is in the process of thoughtful redesign, guided by faculty working collaboratively through a summer committee. The goal is to create a cohesive, engaging experience that nurtures student curiosity — from their first year on campus through graduation and into their lives beyond college.

“The timing of this award aligns well with our strategic plan, Bold & Boundless,” said Andrea Talentino, president of Augustana College. “A key strategic goal is to maximize student potential and career readiness by prioritizing and elevating engaged learning — including community-engaged partnerships — so that students learn by doing and understand the connection between theory and practical challenges. This grant will advance the college’s strategic direction and allow us to do even more to shape impactful citizens.”

Curricular redesign has been fueled by the insights of Augustana’s academic community, led by faculty co-directors Dr. Umme al-Wazedi, Dr. Rob Elfline and Dr. Brian Leech, and chair of the college’s General Education Committee, Dr. Carolyn Yaschur.

“The entire approach has been collaborative from the onset,” Dr. Elfline said. “Dianna and her team brought the opportunity to our attention, but since then, the project has been entirely driven by members of the faculty in a collaborative spirit so rewarding that it's pretty difficult to adequately describe.”

Dr. Elfine said the award has allowed faculty to think differently about resources. “We often make plans based on the resources available and then wonder what it might be like if we had extra, to try something new. This grant shows that we can aim just that much higher.”

Dr. Shandy added, “This transformative grant is an incredible opportunity to amplify faculty-led innovation and create a dynamic, purpose-driven curriculum. I can’t wait to see the bold ideas that emerge and the powerful impact they’ll have on our students’ lives.”

Teagle is a New York-based nonprofit that aims to strengthen liberal arts education by serving as a catalyst for the improvement of teaching and learning in the arts and sciences while addressing the issues of financial sustainability and accountability in higher education.

Crucial initial funding in the form of a $25,000 Cornerstone: Learning for Living planning grant from The Teagle Foundation in August 2024 prepared the way for the transformative $225,000 Cornerstone: Learning for Living implementation grant for Augustana College.