Austin Seminary has received a grant of $10 million from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the Arc of Ministry Center. The Center will feature collaboration with Schreiner University, Austin College, Huston-Tillotson University, The Presbyterian Pan-American School, and The Hispanic Youth Leadership Academy.
The Arc of Ministry Center is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. This initiative is designed to help theological schools across the United States and Canada as they prioritize and respond to the most pressing challenges they face as they prepare pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future. The grant to Austin Seminary is one of 45 that were approved in this competitive round of funding to support theological schools as they lead large-scale collaborations with other seminaries, colleges and universities, and other church-related organizations.
The Center will offer new programs to engage high school and college students in vocational exploration through experiential and cohort-based learning. Built upon the principles of faith formation, innovative leadership, and Christian service, Austin Seminary will launch Faithful Innovator cohorts. In these cohorts, students from partner institutions will engage with curriculum designed to encourage young leaders to reflect on their spiritual and vocational identities.
“The aim of Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative is consistent with our mission to educate and equip people for Christian service and leadership,” said Austin Seminary President José R. Irizarry, “and this grant will accelerate three of our four vision pillars—inspiring the next generation of Christian leadership, supporting the arc of ministry, and creating a learning community through strategic partnerships.”
Ryan Arnold, vice president for institutional advancement, echoed Irizarry’s sentiments, saying, “We are exceedingly grateful to Lilly Endowment for its support of theological education and this investment, and we are confident that our Seminary community, including our many alumni and friends, will be excited to learn how they can be involved.”
Lilly Endowment launched the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative in 2021. Since then, it has provided grants totaling more than $700 million to support 163 theological schools in efforts to strengthen their own educational and financial capacities and to assist 61 schools in developing large-scale collaborative endeavors.
About Austin Seminary
For over a century, Austin Seminary, located in Austin, Texas, has prepared generations of adaptive, imaginative Christian leaders with the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to guide churches and communities into the future. Grounded in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition, Austin Seminary equips students to explore their faith more deeply, challenge assumptions, and make an impact where God calls them. For more, visit www.austinseminary.edu.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of about religion and lift up in fair, accurate and balanced ways the roles that people of all faiths and various religious communities play in the United State and around the globe traditions in the United States and across the globe.
