Boston College has announced grants totaling $2.05 million from the John Templeton Foundation to fund three projects, each led by a different faculty member, at its Lynch School of Education and Human Development.

The first initiative, “Cura Psychologia,” aims to transform how psychological science is conceptualized, taught, and practiced at six Jesuit universities: Fordham, Georgetown, Holy Cross, Loyola Marymount (Los Angeles), Seattle, and BC. Led by associate dean for strategic initiatives and external relations David Goodman, the three-year program seeks to enrich the connections between the respective psychology, philosophy, and theology departments at each of the campuses.

The second project, led by Martin Scanlan, an associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Higher Education, is a three-year investigation of the organizational, curricular, and institutional factors that advance character formation in networks of Catholic elementary, middle, and secondary schools. The third initiative also centers on pre-college education through a collaboration with EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning), a national nonprofit that partners with K-12 educators in diverse, high-need communities to transform public schools and districts into hubs of opportunity for all students.

“It’s wonderful to see the Templeton Foundation recognize the distinctive projects being done by our faculty in the area of formative education and character development,” said Stanton E.F. Wortham, the Charles F. Donovan, S.J., Dean of the Lynch School of Education and Human Development. “Understanding and fostering the development of whole people, including ethical and spiritual aspects, is a particular strength of the Lynch School. It’s great that one of the most important foundations in this area is recognizing the breath and importance of our work.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/gregobagel)