Marian University has been awarded a national Professional Development Award from the Council of Independent Colleges’ Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), a grant that will directly support faculty efforts to help students explore purpose, calling, and direction in college.
Funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., the award allows Marian to launch a year-long faculty seminar focused on one fundamental question: How do we help students understand who they are, and who they’re becoming, through their education?
A Faculty-Driven Effort With Students at the Center
Throughout the year, participating faculty will dig into how academic experiences shape a student’s sense of purpose. Working across disciplines, they’ll design new approaches to teaching and mentoring that make vocational exploration feel natural, accessible, and part of everyday campus life.
“This initiative will deepen Marian’s mission of forming transformational leaders,” said Adam Setmeyer, Vice President for Mission and Ministry. “By equipping our faculty to accompany students in discovering how their gifts can serve the world, we strengthen our entire community and live out our Franciscan values.”
A National Investment in Purpose-Driven Education
Now in its 12th year, NetVUE’s Professional Development Award program has provided 287 grants totaling more than $889,000 to colleges and universities committed to helping students connect their studies with meaning and direction. This year, 43 institutions received support for projects ranging from mentoring to curriculum design, each aiming to make vocation a visible, inclusive part of the undergraduate experience.
“Each grantee brings a unique approach to vocational formation,” said Robert Pampel, NetVUE Grants Program Officer. “I am eager to see how these campus teams convert their curiosity and thoughtfulness around vocation into inclusive, reflective, and purposeful initiatives that lay the groundwork for transformational vocation work in the future.”
Building a Campus Culture Where Purpose Comes First
Marian University’s seminar positions faculty as catalysts for a campus culture where every student, regardless of major, can explore their gifts, values, and future path with confidence.
The result: a stronger, more connected learning environment where students see college not just as a path to a career, but a journey toward meaning, leadership, and service.
Participating Faculty
- Rachel Cochran, PhD — Assistant Professor, English
- Matthew Dahlgren, PhD — Assistant Professor, Mathematical and Computational Sciences & Klipsch Educators College
- Sarah Justice, PhD — Assistant Professor, Biology
- Sarah Klanderman, PhD — Assistant Professor, Mathematical and Computational Sciences
- Graham Renz, PhD — Assistant Professor, Philosophy
- Allison Segarra Hansen, MsEd — Assistant Professor, Klipsch Educators College
- Mohammad Shokrolah Shirazi, PhD — Assistant Professor, Witchger School of Engineering
- Catherine Steding, PhD — Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences
- Zachary Sylvain, PhD — Assistant Professor, Biology
- Shannon Wolfman, PhD — Assistant Professor, Psychology