Celebrations
Congratulations to the 2026 Recipients of NetVUE Grants for Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith
The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), through its Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE), has awarded NetVUE Grants for Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith to 23 institutions totaling over $1,200,000. These grants support programming for students designed to connect them to local faith communities and to support them as they discern their callings. CIC and its NetVUE program are grateful for the support of Lilly Endowment Inc., which makes this grant possible. This is the third year that this NetVUE grant was awarded, bringing the total to 64 Grants for Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith awarded to member institutions.
“We are delighted to announce the third cohort of NetVUE Grants for Fostering Leadership for Communities,” said Carter Aikin, NetVUE grants director. “Each exciting project forges new partnerships with worshipping communities and creates pathways for mentoring undergraduate students as they discern and explore the unique vocation of faith community leadership. We extend our congratulations and deep gratitude to all whose projects were selected for support.”
NetVUE empowers independent colleges and universities to guide undergraduates in exploring and discerning their many callings in life. This cohort of grant recipients is advancing the conversation about vocation through partnership programs with the community, engagement with interfaith questions, strategic programming on campus, and redesigned class or internship programs. For more information about each project, visit the NetVUE website.
The following institutions were awarded a NetVUE Grant for Fostering Leadership for Communities of Faith grants in 2026:
Belmont University (TN)
The Worship and Witness Fellowship
Benedict College (SC)
Faith Leadership
Bluffton University (OH)
Navigating Pathways: Explorations in Faith Work
California Prestige University (CA)
Undergraduate Leadership Formation Hub
Centre College (KY)
Leadership in Communities of Faith
Dakota Wesleyan University (SD)
Student Chaplain Ministry Cohort
Emmanuel College (MA)
Pathways to Purpose
The George Washington University (DC)
GW Interfaith Spiritual and Religious Leadership Fellows
Harding University (AR)
Ministry in the City
Hendrix College (AR)
Leadership in a Multi-Faith World
Jarvis Christian University (TX)
Ecumenical Ministry Leadership Cohort
Kansas Wesleyan University
Fostering Multi-Church Leadership for Communities of Faith
Lane College (TN)
Ministry Training Certification Program
Lenoir-Rhyne University (NC)
Vocations in Faith Fellows Program
Loyola Marymount University (CA)
Pastoral Music & Ministry Leadership Initiative
Macalester College (MN)
Internship Cohort Program
Northwestern College (IA)
Women in Ministry Project
Piedmont University (GA)
Hearing the Call: Explorations in Ministry
Saint Vincent College (PA)
Pastoral Ministry as a Vocation: Realizing the Vision at Saint Vincent College
The College of Wooster (OH)
Faith-Driven Leadership & Vocational Discernment Program
Valparaiso University (IN)
Cultivating Christian Leadership and Formation in Congregational Ministry
Whitworth University (WA)
Student Ministry Apprenticeship Program: Partnering with Faith Communities to Develop the Next Generation of Christian Leaders
Wofford College (SC)
Faith and Leadership Scholars Program at Wofford
More about CIC and NetVUE
The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) is an association of over 600 nonprofit independent colleges and universities, state-based councils, and higher education affiliates that works to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence, and enhance public understanding of independent higher education’s contributions to society. CIC provides members with ideas, resources, and programs that help institutions improve their leadership expertise, educational programs, administrative and financial performance, and institutional visibility.
The Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) is a program of CIC with over 350 members. The purpose of NetVUE is to increase the capacity of independent colleges and universities to support their undergraduate students as they explore and discern their many callings in life. The process of vocational reflection is an interdisciplinary endeavor, bringing together theological, philosophical, ethical, historical, and affective approaches, and implementing the theoretical reflections of these fields in vocation related practices. Campuses are encouraged to support students in this work through a variety of academic departments, pre-professional programs, and campus offices. NetVUE is governed by a principle of subsidiarity: individual member institutions are encouraged to shape their work related to vocation and calling— including the vocabularies that they use to describe this work—in ways that are best suited to their own missions, teaching philosophies, student demographics, and other matters best known to those who lead and guide this work on campus.
To report a technical problem with the website, or to offer suggestions for navigation and content issues, please contact Alex Stephenson, NetVUE communications coordinator, at astephenson@cic.edu.