What if a college education could help students answer two questions at the same time: What career should I pursue, and what kind of life do I want to lead?
A new grant will help Hastings College students explore both.
The College has received a $150,000 grant commitment from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) for its project, “Civic Engagement and Calling: A First-Year Foundation.” The initiative will expand and institutionalize vocational discernment and community engagement through the College’s First-Year Experience program and the Doerr Center for Civic Engagement.
Hastings College received an initial $75,000 award, with an additional $75,000 available upon securing matching funds, bringing the total project investment to $225,000.
Supported by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and Lilly Endowment Inc., the initiative is part of NetVUE’s Vocation Across the Academy program. The College is one of just eight institutions nationwide selected for this grant in 2026.
“Our efforts are especially focused on the first-year experience, where we have a powerful opportunity to set the tone for students’ entire college journey,” said Tessla Michael, director of student success and project director for the grant. “It will help students connect their academic experiences and personal values in ways that prepare them for careers and lives of purpose and service.”
By weaving vocational discernment and community engagement throughout their four years on campus, “all students will have ongoing opportunities to reflect on how their gifts and passions can meaningful impact the world,” Michael added.
With civic engagement and vocational reflection as unifying themes, first-year students will explore how their personal callings connect directly to community impact. The initiative pairs structured reflection with real-world application through internships, community-engaged learning and active collaboration with local partners.
To ensure long-term support, an accompanying mentoring program will connect every student with a dedicated network of faculty, staff, peers and community partners. Additional co-curricular elements — including a lecture series, a storytelling initiative and a sophomore fellowship — will extend vocational discovery across the broader campus community.
“Each selected project pursues sound personal and pre-professional student formation overlaid with structures for reflection on meaning, purpose, and vocation,” said Carter Aikin, grants director at NetVUE. “Program design is excitingly diverse in this cohort, with emphases ranging from curriculum design and student advising to community engagement and student athletics.”
NetVUE is a nationwide network of nearly 350 independent colleges and universities dedicated to enriching the intellectual and theological exploration of vocation among undergraduate students. The College has previously received program and professional development grants through the network.
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Founded in 1882, the College is dedicated to student success and service to the community. Discover more at hastings.edu.