New Grant Promotes Professional Development at Clarke

Clarke University is proud to announce the receipt of a $20,000 Professional Development Grant from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education. The grant is supported by the Council of Independent Colleges and Lilly Endowment, Inc. 

The Professional Development award from NetVUE will provide funding to build a foundation for how vocation and mission are interconnected at Clarke and in the greater Dubuque region. Funding from the award will be used to form a cohort of faculty and local employers to discuss vocation and mission, which can guide future curriculum developments at Clarke.   

“This model will foster deeper and more tangible connections between Clarke and the community, ultimately providing a meaningful experience for our students and partners,” said Gina Burkart, Ed.D., who led the grant proposal. “It is my hope that this project creates more capacity for students to engage in vocational endeavors with community partners—while also weaving the spirit and core values of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the fabric of the Dubuque community.” 

Beyond the cohort, the partnership with NetVUE offers benefits to all employees at Clarke. As part of CU Conference, the university’s annual opening workshop, NetVUE speaker Caryn Riswold, Ph.D., will address the topic of vocation and AI. In addition, she will facilitate two workshops regarding teaching with AI and upholding human dignity, topics that closely align with Clarke’s Big Read selection, Love’s Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of Crises by Norman Wirzba.  

 Throughout the year, faculty and staff will also be invited to take part in book clubs, panel discussions, and other activities aligned with vocation and mission. This includes a session on vocation that will be open to the public in November. More details will be shared as the event is finalized.