Religious Plurality: The Claremont Graduate University School of Religion Endowment

FAIN: CH-50165-05

Claremont Graduate University (Claremont, CA 91711-5909)
Karen J. Torjesen (Project Director: May 2004 to November 2011)

Endowment for a faculty chair in Islamic Studies, an adjunct appointment in Hebrew, student research, library acquisitions, and a faculty/student/community retreat.

The Claremont Graduate University (CGU) School of Religion seeks a $400,000 National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grant, which the University will match with $1.6 million in non-federal funds. The collective funds will establish an Endowment totaling $1.9 million, the yearly interest of which will be used to: 1) Establish a Chair in Islamic Studies; 2) Support, on a yearly basis, the teaching of Modern Hebrew; 3) Provide a permanent fund in support of faculty and student collaborative research projects; 4) Enhance the diversity of library holdings and media resources for teaching and research; 5) Broaden community outreach through yearly University/community retreats. The rich context CGU provides for the Challenge Grant maintains the humanities as central in graduate education. The Claremont Consortium of Colleges, likewise, provides an extended context in which Challenge Grant activities will have influence, as CGU frequently employs college faculty as adjuncts; and both undergraduate and graduate students can take courses across institutions. Beyond Claremont, the CGU Religion program, regularly ranked among the top ten in the nation, can continue to have significant impact on future college and university teachers. An experienced fundraising team and a proven fundraising structure are in place to ensure that the 4:1 Challenge Grant matching will be raised within the prescribed number of years.