FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cindy Deppe, media relations, 641-269-4834

May 8, 2008

GRINNELL COLLEGE AWARDED MELLON GRANT FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

GRINNELL, IA--Grinnell College has received a $965,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for interdisciplinary faculty and curriculum development in the humanities and social sciences. The four-year grant will support the college’s Expanding Knowledge Initiative (EKI), providing faculty with opportunities to experience learning, teaching, and research outside their core areas of training.

The Mellon grant will also support the addition of a full-time Arabic language instructor on a three-year trial basis as part of an expanding program in Middle Eastern Studies.

"Middle Eastern Studies is an interdisciplinary area of increasing interest for our faculty and students," said Jon Chenette, associate dean of the college. "With the addition of Arabic language, our students will be able to prepare more fully for off-campus study and mentored research opportunities in the Middle East."

In addition, the Mellon grant will permit current Grinnell faculty members to develop expertise in disciplines outside of their primary specialties, either with Grinnell faculty colleagues or through outside agencies, research centers, and professional organizations. Grant funds will also support travel or consultants for teams of faculty members and students working together on research topics that benefit from collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches.

Grinnell College is a nationally recognized, private, four year, liberal arts college located in Grinnell, Iowa. Founded in 1846, Grinnell enrolls 1,600 students from all 50 states and from as many international countries in more than 25 major fields, interdisciplinary concentrations, and pre-professional programs.

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