Global Education Resources
The aim of the "Imagination Grant" program is to enhance students' vocational aspirations by extending educational programming at Vanderbilt Divinity School by providing seed funding for special projects that address issues of religion in the global context. These grants seek to advance global learning, theological reflection, leadership skills, and fund awards that are initiated and inspired by students rather than by standard summer internships.
Awardees are competitively selected on the basis of their proposals, which should outline a course of study, research, travel and/or experiential engagement that advances global learning and leadership skills. Projects may be local, regional, national or international. Projects may not bear academic credit, nor may the grant subsidize tuition, fees or travel for Vanderbilt coursework. Travel shall not interfere with regularly scheduled academic requirements.
Students may apply for Imagination Grant funds ($250-$2500) to cover travel and expenses for global immersion experiences. Imagination Grants are typically utilized during summers.
Typically, we fund 3-6 proposals each year. Past projects have included:
- A study of our Lady of Guadalupe among the Nahuatl people in Mexico.
- A photographic exploration of the diasporic experience of Black women, including those from the West Indies and Africa, living in Brooklyn, NY.
- A comparison of two international intentional faith communities: one in Iona, and the other in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Imagination Grant program invites students to take their theological imaginations on a journey, and to think more deeply about the effects and consequences of globalization on religious life and practice.