The mission of the Teagle Foundation and the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, in the context of the Transfer Pathways to the Liberal Arts initiative, is to support and enhance the accessibility of liberal arts education. They aim to bring the lifelong benefits of a liberal arts education to students historically excluded from higher education, including low-income, first-generation, students of color, and immigrant students, viewing community colleges as essential gateways.
The Teagle-NEH initiative focuses on reinvigorating the role of the humanities in general education to expose students to the power of the humanities, enhance community and belonging among students of all backgrounds, strengthen general education's coherence, and increase teaching opportunities for humanities faculty. This initiative emphasizes the importance of transformative texts for creating a common intellectual experience that fosters a sense of community and equips students with critical analytical and historical awareness skills. The grant supports projects that are faculty-led, incorporate transformative texts in gateway courses for incoming undergraduates, create coherent pathways through general education, reach a significant portion of the student body including STEM and pre-professional majors, ensure the sustainability of the program post-grant, include clear goals and means of assessment, and involve active dissemination of knowledge and practices gained. Planning grants up to $25,000 are available to lay the groundwork for curricular reform and faculty professional development.