{"id":25784,"date":"2010-04-22T16:23:42","date_gmt":"2010-04-22T20:23:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/home.bates.edu\/?p=25784"},"modified":"2017-01-26T14:23:05","modified_gmt":"2017-01-26T19:23:05","slug":"mellon-grant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2010\/04\/22\/mellon-grant\/","title":{"rendered":"Mellon Foundation awards $150,000 grant to support ‘Choices for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’ initiatives"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Elaine<\/a><\/p>\n

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College a $150,000 grant that recognizes President Elaine Tuttle Hansen’s leadership at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ and supports three strategic projects: the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ Arts Collaborative, a natural sciences and mathematics initiative, and strategies to advance learning in a residential liberal arts setting. That component includes a Learning Commons, an effort to encourage greater intellectual exchange in residence halls and a project to engage diversity as both a goal and a resource.<\/p>\n

The award affirms Hansen’s idea to build momentum for Choices for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½<\/a> \u2013 the plan for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’ future released last fall following the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ College faculty, staff and students’ two-year planning process.<\/p>\n

“The Choices for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½<\/a> initiative is not your typical strategic plan that advances goals, objectives and mechanisms for every area of the institution,” Hansen said. “Rather, through our planning process, we identified three specific initiatives, among many choices, in which we will invest right now. A college cannot sensibly grow by doing everything all the time. You grow and improve by making smart choices. Our faculty, trustees and community have found agreement in these three strategic initiatives.”<\/p>\n

The plan challenges members of the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ community to “create the strongest possible web of relationships, academic programs and informal learning opportunities that extend throughout the College.”<\/p>\n

“Projects like these not only define a residential liberal arts education, but also go to the heart of what is distinctive about ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½,” Hansen said.” With this, we are able to jump-start the key initiatives identified through our planning process. I am personally grateful to the Mellon Foundation for this gift to ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½, and for its long-standing support and appreciation for ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½’ educational mission in the liberal arts and sciences.”<\/p>\n

According to key points in the grant proposal, ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ will:<\/p>\n