STEUBENVILLE — Franciscan University of Steubenville, together with Purdue University, Tuskegee University and the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, was awarded an institutional impact grant to provide character development for technical students.

The collaborative project titled Integrating Character Development in Engineering and Computing Undergraduate Courses aims to incorporate virtue and character growth into pedagogical and assessment strategies across the engineering and computing programs at Franciscan University, Tuskegee University and the University of New Hampshire; Purdue University’s learning design and technology Program is helping to support and facilitate the program.

As part of the grant, Franciscan University will receive more than $140,000 across three years. This financial award will enable faculty to research, develop and collaborate on effective educational materials to teach students about character formation within required engineering and computing classes.

“I’m grateful for the institutional impact grant and how it will help Franciscan University contribute to leading change in engineering and computing education, so we can continue to send forth students who use their gifts and talents to build up God’s Kingdom,” said Stephen Frezza, director of the software engineering program at Franciscan University. “We look forward to enhancing and innovating how we prepare future engineering professionals who not only excel technically but also ethically and morally in the workplace.”

The grant was awarded by the Educating Character Initiative, part of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University and supported by Lilly Endowment Inc. Grants between $100,000 and $1 million are given to institutions that look to undertake substantial, sustained effort to educate character in undergraduate students.

This year, 24 impact grants were awarded to 29 colleges and universities.

For information about the university’s engineering and computing department, visit snas.franciscan.edu/department-of-engineering-and-computing.