The HealthSpark Foundation has awarded Arcadia University a grant to develop a Graduate Civic Scholars Program to help expand the undergraduate program that launched last summer for students who are interested and passionate about driving social change.

The $26,000 grant will be used to help develop and launch the program to students together to cross-collaborate in their respective fields and support local community organizations in strengthening the social safety net.

“Students typically build connections within their own departments,” said Dr. Alison LaLond Wyant, director of the Office of Social Impact and Innovation at Arcadia. She, along with Dr. Margaret Longacre, assistant professor and chair of Public Health, are serving as co-Project Directors of the grant. “I hope this program will help build community among graduate students across programs.”

This graduate level program will bring together interested students enrolled in master- or doctoral- level courses from across the University to collaborate and think together about the varied perspectives and talents it takes to build solutions for communities. The small group of graduate students will have the opportunity to work and receive mentorship in the local area through specially sourced community placements, which offer a stipend, as well as leadership training through a justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion lens.

The HealthSpark Foundation is a private, independent foundation located in Colmar, Pa. that invests in nonprofit organizations and networks promoting a more just and healthy community. The grant is part of the Foundation’s Innovation Lab grant program, which provides funding to community organizations that have identified an opportunity to create change.