Character Forward Grant

The Hope Forward Initiative and programming provides a unique framework for further development of campus-wide engagement with several core virtues. Specifically, we will be focusing on the character development of generosity and gratitude in courses, research and scholarship, and co-curricular activities and programming across the entire college. 

Funding will be available for the following:

• A new Character Hub to coordinate character development efforts across the college
• Character Hub Director (beginning October 2024)
• Character Hub Steering Committee Members (beginning October 2024)
• Course Development and Course Revision Grants (anticipated AY2025–26, 2026–27)
• Scholarship Grants to fund faculty and students (anticipated summers of 2025, 2026, 2027)
• Programmatic co-curricular opportunities for students

This grant supports the creation of several new roles on campus. Below, we describe these new positions and invite applications from faculty. All applications are due September 20, 2024, and require a letter of support from the applicant’s department chair.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants should submit:

• Cover letter detailing their interest in the position and relevant experience
• A curriculum vitae
• A letter of support from their departmental chair

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on September 20, 2024, to vantongeren@hope.edu.

Positions

Character Hub Director

We welcome applications for a newly created Character Hub Director position. This person will be responsible for coordinating the various aspects of the new and existing character development efforts at ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ. Working closely with the Hope Forward senior program director and the director of Frost Center for Social Science Research, this position will lead a Steering Committee comprised of divisional representatives from (a) Arts and Humanities, (b) Natural and Applied Sciences, and (c) Social Sciences, and will engage with campus and community stakeholders to advance character development efforts.

Responsibilities of this position over the next three years include:

• Lead a strategic planning process for character development efforts at ¿ìè¶ÌÊÓƵ over the next five years 
• Finalize and execute that Character Development Strategic Plan
• Convene the Steering Committee
• Solicit, evaluate and make recommendations for course revision and development grants
• Solicit, evaluate and make recommendations for faculty-student research grants
• Coordinate character development workshops and programming
• Assess and evaluate character development efforts through multimethod approaches (e.g., surveys, interviews, focus groups)
• Oversee the creation of a resource library
• Work with faculty, staff and administrators in various character development initiatives
• Create written reports and grant progress summaries
• Budget management and fiscal responsibility

This position is a three-year term running from October 15, 2024–August 31, 2027, reviewed annually and subject to renewal at the end of the term, with committed support from the Provost’s Office to continue to the position for additional terms. This position reports to the director of Frost Center for Social Science Research as the Principal Investigator on the grant and begins October 15, 2024.  

This position is supported by a 9-credit course reduction each year. Due to the timing of grant decision, time reassignment via course releases will not begin until Spring 2025.

Character Steering Committee Members

We welcome applications for faculty divisional representatives for our Character Hub Steering Committee. We are seeking three applicants: one representative each from (a) Arts and Humanities, (b) Natural and Applied Sciences, and (c) Social Sciences. These faculty members will work collaboratively with the Character Hub Director over the next three years to:

• Participate in a strategic planning process for character development efforts at Hope College over the next five years
• Support the Character Development Strategic Plan
• Help evaluate development grant applications
• Help evaluate faculty-student research grant applications
• Assist in the assessment and evaluation of character development efforts through multimethod approaches (e.g., surveys, interviews, focus groups)
• Collaborate with faculty, staff and administrators in various character development initiatives
• Contribute to writing written reports and grant progress summaries

These positions are a three-year appointment running from October 15, 2024–August 31, 2027, reviewed annually and are subject to renewal at the end of the term. This position begins October 15, 2024.  

These appointments are supported by a 3-credit course reduction each year. Due to the timing of grant decision, time reassignment via course releases will not begin until Spring 2025.