Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded a $3 million grant to the University of Notre Dame as part of a $100 million program called the “Initiative to Recruit and Retain Intellectual Capital for Indiana Higher Education Institutions.”p. Announced earlier this year, the initiative invited 37 Indiana public and private colleges and universities to submit proposals for attracting or keeping the brightest and most talented minds in the state. The amount for each grant is dependant on the institutional enrollment; Notre Dame received the maximum offered under the endowments guidelines.p. Notre Dame will use the funds to recruit both new faculty and graduate students.p. Within the faculty component, the University will award two Lilly Endowment Senior Fellowships each of the next three years to newly appointed senior faculty. The fellows will receive $75,000 to support their research infrastructure, make library purchases, attend professional conferences and assist with other activities related to their teaching and research. A second part of the faculty component, the Lilly Endowment Collegiate Chairs, will provide a $50,000 fund each of the next three years to seven new young scholars for similar professional enhancement purposes.p. “We believe the significant incentives provided by the Lilly Fellows and Lilly Collegiate Chairs programs will do much to help us attract and retain exceptionally talented senior and young scholars,” said Nathan O. Hatch, Notre Dames provost. “Lilly Endowment deserves considerable credit for establishing this innovative program, and we at Notre Dame are thankful for this generous grant.”p. A second aspect of the grant will establish within the Graduate School the Lilly Endowment Fellowship program, components of which include:p. The recruitment of 25 doctoral students as Lilly Fellows each of the next three years, beginning in 2005. The funds will be used to support students during their studies toward a doctorate.p. The recruitment of 45 Lilly Endowment Presidential Fellows in the College of Arts and Letters. Funds will increase stipends for students in the existing Presidential Fellowships program, and extend support to five years.p. The establishment of 30 Lilly Endowment Fellows in the Colleges of Science and Engineering. The funding will increase stipend levels of current research assistantships for four years of study, and increase the number of prize fellowships in the two colleges. Special attention will be given to recruiting women and students from traditionally underrepresented groups.p. “We are most appreciative to Lilly Endowment Inc. for its support,” said Jeffrey C. Kantor, Notre Dames vice president for graduate studies and research. “We believe the Lilly Endowment Fellowship program will bring to our region an exceptionally talented pool of advanced students who, in turn, will help us recruit exceptional faculty to the University. And, as they complete their doctoral degrees at Notre Dame, the Lilly Fellows will add significantly to the talent pool available to higher education and research driven economic development in Indiana.”p. Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded 15 “Intellectual Capital” grants this month after previously announcing seven awardees in July.p.
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