Holy Cross College has received a grant of $496,148 from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its initiative, Advancing the Science of Reading in Indiana. The grant will support the Holy Cross College Education program in continued professional learning and coaching opportunities related to Science of Reading (SOR). Moreover, through this partnership, Holy Cross will move to hire faculty who are well trained in teaching methods aligned with the SOR who effectively will lead this initiative.
“This grant will significantly impact how HCC preservice teachers and cooperating teachers apply science of reading strategies throughout classrooms in our community,” said Dr. Ann Bingham, Education program director at Holy Cross College. “Through embedded professional development, rigorous coursework, systems thinking, and strong partnerships, best practices will become realized and the children that we serve will become the most brilliant readers and writers!”
Holy Cross College is one of 28 Indiana colleges and universities that received grants from Lilly Endowment to support efforts that integrate Science of Reading-aligned principles into teacher preparation programs.
The grant from Lilly Endowment will help Holy Cross College collaborate with local South Bend-area schools, including Saint Adalbert Catholic School, Holy Cross School, and Saint Joseph Grade School, to help them attain their own goals related to increased implementation of SOR instructional practices in their classrooms, and creating classroom and school libraries aligned with SOR research.
Dr. Marco J. Clark, President of Holy Cross College, expressed his enthusiasm for this partnership stating, “We are grateful for the leadership and commitment to educational excellence in Indiana by Lilly Endowment. Holy Cross College is honored to be serving our South Bend community in such a meaningful way.”
“It is imperative that more of Indiana’s elementary students learn to read proficiently, and it is essential that current teachers and the next generation of teachers are prepared to use proven principles to teach reading in their classrooms,” said Ted Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education. “We are pleased therefore to help Indiana colleges and universities strengthen the use of these research-based principles to teach reading in their teacher preparation programs.”
Lilly Endowment launched the Advancing the Science of Reading in Indiana initiative in 2022. It complements a statewide effort undertaken in 2022 by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) to improve reading achievement in K-12 schools by helping current teachers implement Science of Reading-aligned principles in their classrooms. In 2022, the Endowment made a $60 million grant to the IDOE to support that work with school districts and teachers across the Indiana.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion, and it maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.