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EMU DEI Grants 

Eastern Mennonite University’s educational mission and vision are grounded in the values of Christian discipleship, community, service to others, sustainability, and peacemaking. As a community, EMU prioritized “diversifying” in the Three-Year Strategic Priorities (2020-23)

In line with this priority we are offering three grant options: 

Thanks to the generosity of Jose Koshy ‘76 and Jean Koshy-Hertzler ‘79, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion announces two internal grant opportunities to advance our mission to cultivate a culture of belonging through embracing diversity and inclusivity within  the Harrisonburg campus and Lancaster site: 

These grants are inspired by the values and convictions that moved John Asa Hertzler and the late Rebecca Hertzler to make a difference in the world by advocating for racial and gender justice, questioning the status quo, and building relationships across people of different backgrounds and races.

The cycle of projects that are awarded Inclusive Excellence Grants will be implemented during fall and spring semester.

Inclusive Excellence Grant Program


Applications will open September 4, 2023

Please submit your application today!
Developed in 2005 through the efforts of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), Inclusive Excellence is a research-based approach that integrates diversity and inclusion efforts into core institutional operations. Inclusive excellence requires us to be proactive and collaborative in building a community in which we all belong. 

Hertzler-Koshy Faculty Fellowship

Request for proposals will open September 30, 2023.

In 2019, Eastern Mennonite University announced a comprehensive strategic plan that held diversification as a top priority. This includes supporting faculty in the development of student-centered pedagogies that are inclusive of an increasingly diverse student body.

The Hertzler-Koshy Faculty Fellowship Program, honoring John Asa and Rebecca Hertzler,  is a response to this invitation. The program will engage full-time faculty members during the 2023-24 academic year to encourage faculty/student collaborations and advance projects that integrate and infuse diversity into the curriculum with a specific focus on race, ethnicity, disability, and gender content in the curricula (undergraduate, graduate, intercultural programs, training). 

The  Hertzler-Koshy Faculty Fellowship Grants will be available for the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 terms. The Request for Proposals for these fellowship opportunities will be available on Sept. 30, 2023. Applications will be due by 5 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2023.

Belong Together Mini Grants

The DEI mini grants ($300 max.) allow staff, faculty and students to request financial support for DEI initiatives that advance a feeling of belonging on campus. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed by the Office of DEI using the following criteria:

  • the overall purpose and goals of the project;
  • the project’s connection to advancing a sense of belonging at EMU
  • the project’s connection to EMU’s mission; and vision

Mini grant application

Questions? Contact the DEI office at dei@emu.edu or 540.432.4388

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