Fresno Pacific University has been selected to join the nation’s premier national group of church-related institutions of higher education —The Lilly Network of Church-Related Colleges and Universities.

The network’s mission is “to strengthen the quality and shape the character of church-related institutions of higher learning in the twenty-first century.” (The Lilly Network)

The Lilly Network Board invited Fresno Pacific during its meeting last month.

“Membership in the Lilly network will provide opportunity for mission-centric faculty and staff professional development along with other opportunities for students and the university as a whole,” said Dr. Alison R. Noble, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Fresno Pacific.

The goal of the network is to develop leaders for church-related colleges and universities and improve church-related higher learning. It does this by sponsoring events, including an annual conference and administrators workshop; overseeing postdoctoral, graduate, and mid-career faculty fellowships; and offering grants for member schools.

Other opportunities include:

• To nominate up to three of their graduating seniors or recent alumni for the Lilly Graduate Fellows Program. Lilly Graduate Fellows will receive three annual stipends for use at the fellows’ discretion.
• To apply for faculty development grants ranging from $1,500 to $12,000.
• To apply for grants to sponsor network-funded academic programs that serve faculty from many campuses.
• To nominate mid-career faculty for the Faculty Fellows Program.

Members Include Notre Dame, Baylor

Since its founding in 1991, the Lilly Network of Church-Related Colleges and Universities (formerly the Lilly Fellows Program) has fostered conversation about church-related higher learning and developed leaders in church-related colleges and universities. The almost 100 schools represent a variety of Christian denominations, traditions, locations, and institutional types.

Nationally known members include Baylor University, Boston College, the University of Notre Dame, and Wheaton University. West Coast schools include Azusa Pacific University, Biola University, Seattle Pacific University, and Westmont University.

The Lilly Network is based at Valparaiso University in northwest Indiana and is funded by Valparaiso University, member institutions, and grants from Lilly Endowment Inc., an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation.