This year, UTS received generous funding from the Lilly Foundation’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. The 5-year, $5 million grant will transform UTS’ internal operations, unlock new partnership opportunities and expand existing ones, and enable theological schools and faith-based organizations to forge technology-driven innovation.
As David Gastwirth – Vice President of Online Education and Learning Innovation at UTS – explained, this grant will “allow UTS to realize its potential as a hub for collaboration… UTS has a unique opportunity to look at ways of working with other institutions to drive down costs and increase the quality of experiences.”
The first component of the grant is the Campus Service Alliance of Northern Manhattan (CSANM). UTS will work with nearby institutions – Manhattan School of Music, The Jewish Theological Seminary, International House, and the Riverside Church – to identify ways to share physical space and resources, technology, and procurement. CSANM has already achieved financial savings for institutions in the area of energy, and new relationships are underway to support event production/AV support and enhancement of hybrid technology. Shared programming contracting and procurement arrangements in areas ranging from employee training to student engagement are in the works.
Dr. James Gandre, President of the Manhattan School of Music, explained, “The more that we can share, the more we can save money and raise the level of the service that we provide to constituents.” He said that such partnerships aren’t just helpful but “critical.” Without them, these groups simply wouldn’t have the capacity to keep pace with larger institutions.
Dr. Shuly Rubin Schwartz, Chancellor of The Jewish Theological Seminary, stated, “There is goodwill and a desire among all of us to collaborate… It’s clear that we can be stronger together.”
The second component of the grant is the Academic and Student Experience Collaborative (ASEC). UTS, New York Theological Seminary (NYTS), and Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (CRCDS) are collaborating to provide enhanced student support in areas that include career services and professional development, wellness, and accessibility services. In the first year of the grant, three new staff members serving the group of institutions have been hired, and new resources, such as TimelyCare 24/7 Counseling Services, have been implemented.
Gastwirth noted that the alliance will help provide the “comprehensive array of support services that we know graduate students need to thrive and succeed while they are in school, as well as when they go off into their professional lives.”
The Rev. Dr. LaKeesha Walrond, President of NYTS, stated, “Partnerships built on strong relationships, both past and current, have the potential to create some new and exciting opportunities in our city… This partnership will allow theological education to be more accessible and more inclusive to individuals in our city, our state, and our world. It can expand the depth and breadth of our students’ experience as they matriculate.”
For example, as Rev. Dr. Walrond explained, NYTS was recently able to relocate its administrative office space to UTS. This move allows NYTS students to have access to a campus for the first time in over 50 years. It also ensures that NYTS students have a well-rounded experience with all of the support and support services that they need.
The third and final component of the grant is the Technology, Innovation, and Digital Engagement Lab (TIDEL).
Gastwirth explained, “With the proliferation of technology, theology schools and faith organizations are rethinking what role technology can or should play in how they go about serving their mission. But in many cases, they’re so small that they can’t afford the technologies that would help deliver better worship experiences and engage more community members. Or they’re not using appropriate tools because they don’t necessarily have the right expertise.”
TIDEL will help fill these gaps by providing a space for faith-based groups and organizations to come together to think creatively and collectively about technology, human-centered design, and innovation. TIDEL partners include Union Theological Seminary (UTS), Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (CRCDS), New York Theological Seminary (NYTS), the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice, and the RISE Together Mentorship Network (RISE).
Gastwirth stated, “There’s a real opportunity to bring these diverse theology schools and religious organizations together to think thoughtfully and strategically about what challenges they’re looking to address and the opportunities for technology to play a role.”
“Our country has responded to change differently over the past few years. It’s been difficult for many organizations – including faith groups – to keep up. Fortunately, with TIDEL, faith groups will have an exciting opportunity to maximize the power of technology as an investment in their organization’s mission,” said the Rev. Dr. Angela D. Sims, President of the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School.
TIDEL recently launched its first offering, the TIDEL Leadership Fellows Program. The 18-month paid fellowship will bring teams of two from seminaries, congregations, and faith-based organizations to develop technology-based solutions for their groups and organizations. The program’s curriculum will emphasize design thinking as an innovative approach.
UTS President Serene Jones shared, “The guiding image that anchors our grant proposal comes from the Gospel of Mark 2: 1-6. Here we find the story of a group of friends that want Jesus to heal their companion but they cannot get through to see Jesus because crowds have blocked the way. Left with few alternatives, they come up with the ingenious idea of climbing onto the roof and cutting a hole in it so they can lower down their friend to be healed, and they can see Jesus.”
“Cultivating ministerial imagination requires fresh insight and ingenuity plus the tools and training needed to accomplish new tasks and address new needs. It also takes, most importantly, a group of friends – enthusiastic, motivated collaborators – who are willing to combine their energies and share their tools in order to accomplish remarkable feats. We are excited to partner with our amazing colleagues on ASEC, CSANM, and TIDEL,” said UTS President Jones.
All in all, the Lilly grant initiatives will help put UTS and its partners on the path to a more sustainable, successful future.