To support the strategic plan’s focus on academic opportunities and innovation and community partnerships and economic development, the university has granted $25,000 for new and innovative projects that promote experiential learning. Dr. Carrisa Hoelscher, associate dean of the Graduate College, and Dr. Julia Troche, associate professor in the history department, are part of the working group that will administer this grant program. They recently touched base with us about the program’s goals and timeline.

Experiential Learning Grants

As Troche wrote in the call for proposals, experiential learning “has long-lasting impact through hands-on experiences that contribute not only to more productive learning outcomes but can help create a sense of place, belonging and connectivity — to campus and our community. Sometimes, however, truly innovative… ideas can be challenged by campus structures.”

Hoelscher hopes this program will circumvent such barriers. “We want to fund ideas that wouldn’t otherwise get tested,” she says. “If your idea has hit structural barriers, this is a great time to pitch it.”

In particular, the group is looking for sustainable, scalable projects — ones that have potential to grow and continue into the future. Essentially, this is a chance to prove a concept. And if your concept can be implemented soon — as in, next semester — it could be a perfect fit.

“We hope that as some of these ideas prove effective, they’ll attract long-term support,” Hoelscher says.

Defining Experiential Learning

Before issuing the call for proposals, the working group created the following definition of experiential learning:

“At Missouri State, experiential learning is an intentional, co-curricular or credit-bearing process in which students actively apply academic knowledge and skills in applied settings through structured experiences to carry out the public affairs mission. These experiences are designed to deepen disciplinary understanding through tangible, hands-on opportunities and critical reflection. Examples include:

• Service-learning;
• Community volunteerism;
• Internships or practicums;
• Registered apprenticeships;
• Apprenticeship research or creative activity;
• Graduate assistantships (community GAs, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, etc.);
• Certain types of course projects;
• Education abroad or virtual exchange.”

Review the group’s complete description of experiential learning.

FAQ

Q: Who’s eligible for these grants? 
A: Any full-time Missouri State faculty or staff member may apply. Projects may include up to two primary investigators (PI). If the project includes two PIs, one PI may be a community collaborator, as long as the other PI is a full-time Missouri State faculty or staff member.

Q: How do I apply? 
A: Review the call for proposals. Within the call for proposals, you’ll find a link to the online submission form (beneath the “Application Form Components” heading). Use this online submission form to apply for the grant.

Q: When’s the deadline? 
A: December 12, 2025.

Q: Wow, that’s soon. Is there a backup deadline? 
A: The working group hopes to notify all successful applicants before Winter Break begins on December 22. If the working group doesn’t award all funding based on applications it receives by December 12, it will issue a new call for proposals. So while there may be a backup deadline, it’s definitely not guaranteed.

Q: Is this one of those situations where someone else procrastinated, and now, I have to rush? 
A: It’s not one of those situations. In keeping with the spirit of the strategic plan, the working group wants selected projects to get underway as quickly as possible so that we can learn from them. The goal is to fund projects that will be implemented during spring 2026 or summer 2026 semesters. This timeline is meant to foster a sense of freedom and innovation — the urgency is a feature, not a bug.

Q: If I have a great, ongoing project that would benefit from additional funding, is it eligible for this program? 
A: No, this program is intended for ideas that haven’t yet been tried.

Get More Information

Within the “promote experiential learning” section of the strategic plan website, you can access the following:

• Call for proposals (which includes a link to the online submission form, beneath the “Application Form Components” heading)
• Definitions of experiential learning

The working group will host a Zoom Q&A at 4 p.m., November 18. You can access this Zoom Q&A via a link at the bottom of the “promote experiential learning” webpage.

Foundation Awards

The Missouri State University Foundation Awards for Excellence in Teaching, Research and Service are now accepting nominations.

Nomination Process

Faculty and staff may nominate faculty members for recognition of their teaching, research or service achievements. To nominate a colleague, email that colleague’s dean and academic unit leader. Include the following information:

• The name of the colleague you wish to nominate;
• The category you wish to nominate them for (teaching, research or service);
• A brief summary of this colleague’s qualifications for the award.

For more details, review the Timeline and Process Description. Submit your nominations by December 5, 2025.

About the Awards

The Missouri State University Foundation sponsors the Foundation Awards to recognize full-time faculty who demonstrate evidence of significant accomplishments in teaching, research and service.

Each award recipient receives an honorarium of $3,600. In the spring, we’ll recognize Foundation Award winners at the All-Faculty Reception.