CCCU Launches New Faculty Grant for BestSemester Site Visits

WASHINGTON – The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is pleased to announce a new grant that will assist faculty and administrators from CCCU institutions in visiting the CCCU’s faith-integrated, off-campus study programs. Known as BestSemester, these programs are offered in nine locations across the U.S. and around the world and foster students’ intellectual, cultural, vocational, and spiritual growth.

The CCCU Faculty Grant Fund is open to faculty and other campus leaders who either currently recommend students to the CCCU’s BestSemester programs or would be interested in doing so in the future. These individuals could be advisors seeking to ensure a program would be a good fit for their students, or campus leaders wanting to review the courses offered at CCCU programs for curricular fit and course equivalencies.

The grants will cover the travel costs for faculty members or administrators to visit one of the nine program locations: Amman, Jordan; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Brisbane, Australia; Los Angeles, California; Mukono, Uganda; Oxford, United Kingdom; Nashville, Tennessee; San Jose, Costa Rica; and Washington, D.C.

“CCCU faculty and administrators play a vital role in recommending students for off-campus study programs and approving course equivalencies on their home campuses,” said CCCU President Shirley V. Hoogstra. “We recognize that the opportunity for faculty to visit a BestSemester program to see firsthand what their students will be experiencing is invaluable in creating long-term advocates for these programs, which we view as important extensions of our CCCU campuses. This will also help our program leaders ensure their program meets the needs of our CCCU institutions.”

“BestSemester programs extend the educational mission of CCCU institutions by providing culturally immersive learning experiences that contribute to students’ intellectual and spiritual growth and equip them to apply their Christian faith to the world,” said Carolyn Dirksen, interim vice president of educational programs. “These programs are uniquely designed to meet the needs of CCCU institutions, and so we are excited for this new opportunity to help faculty and campus leaders engage these programs directly.”

The deadline for application has passed.