(928) 523-1829
Elevating.Excellence@nau.eduFirst call for Proposals – Elevating Excellence
In May 2022, in response to the initial call for Elevating Excellence Impact Funding proposals, we received 108 Elevating Excellence proposals from faculty and staff throughout the university, with a collective ask of over $20 million!
Each proposal was reviewed by members of the President’s Council and they were considered holistically when considering awards, with an eye toward funding a portfolio of projects that, taken together, would have a measurable and balanced impact across the seven strategic priorities of Elevating Excellence.
Given the depth and breadth of excellent proposals received, we appreciated President Cruz Rivera’s awarding more than the initial $2 million allocated. We nearly doubled the amount awarded using TRIF and one-time state funds to bring our total to approximately $4 million. The funded proposals are listed below.
Funded projects
| Project | Project lead(s) |
|---|---|
| Advanced Media Lab Expansion and Outreach | Graham Hagerty, Chris Johnson, and Laura Umphrey |
| Affordable Learning Materials Initiative | John Doherty, Theresa Carlson |
| Campus Health Services: Technology Optimization & Advancements / Campus Recreation Equipment | Julie Ryan |
| Elevating Excellence in General Studies | Jeff Berglund, Emily Manone, and Melinda Treml |
| Engineering Community Outreach and Research Extension (E-CORE) Service | Terry E. Baxter |
| Enhancing Academic Identity at NAU Yuma | Michael Sabath, Alma Sandigo, and Marcy Hurtado |
| Establishing the NAU Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Field Experience and Designing the “NAU Hat Ranch Field Station” | Mark Salvatore |
| Faculty Professional Development for International Student Success | Dylan Rust |
| Forestry Workforce Development through Innovative Online Programming | Yeon-Su Kim with David Auty, Han Sup Han, Scot Raab, Andrea Thode, Andrew Joel Sanchez Meador, and Gina Vance |
| Indigenous Pathways to a PhD in STEM-H | Jani Ingram, Dirk de Heer |
| Interdisciplinary Associate Degree in Healthcare Management | Ashok Subramanian, Galen Collins, Roger Bounds, Gayla Stoner, Marjaneh Gilpatrick, Gina Vance, and Corrine Gordon |
| Meaningful Engagement Network | Martin Tease, Hilda Ladner |
| Military Connected Outreach and Support in the Tucson Area | Pete Yanka |
| Peer Equity and Education Program | Chrissina Burke |
| Promoting Academic Success and Professional Development of Underrepresented Engineering Students | Robin Tuchscherer |
| Promoting Retention and Productivity of a Diverse Group of Faculty at NAU | Laura Wasylenki |
| Suicide Awareness/Mental Health Art Project | Debra Edgerton |
| Supplemental Instruction Expansion | Aaron Cirzan |
| Tripling capacity for undergraduate astronomy labs | David E. Trilling |
| Yuma Educational Success | Wendy Bruun and Matt Tantau |
In addition to the individual proposals that were supported, we engaged in cross-divisional collaboration to merge some proposal ideas into institutional efforts already planned or underway that will further accelerate and enhance the impact of our work. These integrated efforts include support for mentored research, scholarship, and creative activities; graduate student support services and space; career exploration and support to prepare students for post-graduate success; a portfolio of Native American and Indigenous Peoples-focused initiatives related to scholarship and student support; faculty research endeavors; and student support services aligned with our Hispanic-Serving Institution designation.
Requirements for Funded Projects
At the conclusion of the project and associated funding period, a short closeout report delineating how the funds were used and benefits to the university will be required. Reports must include an overall summary of impacts and a list of the numbers of students engaged, scholarly research publications or presentations (if applicable), and information regarding submitted external proposals for follow-on funding (if applicable).
Continuation of the associated projects/activities/programs beyond the stated timeframe will be contingent on a programmatic review and availability of self-sustaining and/or other funding sources.
Contact Elevating.Excellence@nau.edu with questions regarding this opportunity.