Educating Character Initiative Archives - The Program for Leadership and Character

Wake Forest’s Educating Character Initiative announces $15.6M in new grants to 33 institutions

July 11, 2025

Thanks to the support of Lilly Endowment Inc. and Wake Forest University, the Educating Character Initiative (ECI) has awarded $15.6 million in new Institutional Impact Grants to 28 projects among 33 colleges and universities. Each of these institutions seeks to undertake a substantial and sustained effort to educate character in undergraduate populations across their institutions.

Categories: Educating Character Initiative News

Wake Forest’s Educating Character Initiative to expand its nationwide network promoting character education with $30M in new funding

July 10, 2025

Wake Forest University’s Educating Character Initiative (ECI) will expand its support for character education at colleges and universities across the country with more than $30 million in new funding from Lilly Endowment Inc.

Categories: Educating Character Initiative News

Wake Forest’s Educating Character Initiative is building a network — and a movement in higher education: LearningWell

June 10, 2025

The first in a series of stories by LearningWell on the Educating Character Initiative and the efforts of our member institutions.

Categories: Educating Character Initiative News

A Recap of our “Educating Character Across Differences” Conference

January 6, 2025

“I felt a real energy around the importance of character in higher education,” said Michael Lamb, our executive director. “We often talk about character, but this conference showed how educators are really seeking to develop character in their own contexts.”

Categories: Educating Character Initiative News

Purvis to depart ECI, Rothschild will serve as new Director

August 5, 2024

The Educating Character Initiative has flourished under the leadership of its inaugural director, Beth Purvis. As the ECI continues to grow, Beth will be leaving her position on August 9, 2024, to return to her role as Chief Executive Officer of the charter school network she led for 12 years. Beth will continue to support the Program for Leadership and Character as an active member of the ECI Advisory Board.

Categories: Educating Character Initiative News

Educating Character Initiative to grant an additional $10M to support character education across the U.S.

July 30, 2024

The funding comes from a new $12.4 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. which will also support coaching, resources, and workshops for faculty across the country.

Categories: Educating Character Initiative News

Dr. Beth Purvis to lead the Program’s new Educating Character Initiative

June 6, 2023

The longtime education leader will help the Program in its goal of assisting other colleges and universities in educating character in their own contexts.

Categories: Educating Character Initiative News

“Educating Character Across the University” Conference Draws More Than 200 To Wake Forest

February 10, 2023

How can educators at colleges and universities integrate character at their institutions? That was the focus of “Educating Character Across the University,” a three-day conference held at Wake Forest University and attended by more than 200 educators, administrators, and staff from colleges and universities across the country.

Categories: Educating Character Initiative News

Wake Forest University Awarded $30M Lilly Endowment Inc. Grant to Build National Capacity for Character Education

January 24, 2023

Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded Wake Forest a $30.7 million grant to support the University’s Program for Leadership and Character and create a national higher education network devoted to educating character.

Categories: Educating Character Initiative News

The Program for Leadership and Character

Wake Forest’s Educating Character Initiative announces $15.6M in new grants to 33 institutions

Wake Forest’s Educating Character Initiative to expand its nationwide network promoting character education with $30M in new funding

Wake Forest’s Educating Character Initiative is building a network — and a movement in higher education: LearningWell

A Recap of our “Educating Character Across Differences” Conference

Purvis to depart ECI, Rothschild will serve as new Director

Educating Character Initiative to grant an additional $10M to support character education across the U.S.

Dr. Beth Purvis to lead the Program’s new Educating Character Initiative

“Educating Character Across the University” Conference Draws More Than 200 To Wake Forest

Wake Forest University Awarded $30M Lilly Endowment Inc. Grant to Build National Capacity for Character Education

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