The college will enhance and support faculty teaching, research, and creative practice in the arts through: endowed professorships/chairs; expanding the "Elevating the Arts" grant program that provides competitive grants to support projects, research, supplies, equipment, or events; enhancement of student participation in the arts through scholarships to students studying the arts; expanding curricula and experiential opportunities in the arts.
Engaging students in the arts is a critical component of a liberal arts education. Art can empower us, both personally and collectively; nurture critical thinking; facilitate dialogue; and provide insights into the lives and experiences of others, fostering empathy, understanding, and community connections. There is surging student interest in the arts, and opportunities for engagement in the arts is an enrollment driver. Elevating the arts aligns with the university-wide Claritas Initiative and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, as art can link us to the transcendentals of beauty, truth, and goodness and bring us a sense of awe, make us feel truly human, and connect us to the world and to each other.