SOE is moving forward as LMU enters the final year of its Capital Campaign. Five recent major gifts that support student scholarships, faculty research and innovative programs that are having a dramatic impact on education in the region and across the country are profiled below.
Sixteen master’s degree candidates in the Charter School Leadership Academy program are receiving much-needed scholarship support thanks to a $100,000 award from The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. Launched in 2006, the CSLA develops dynamic educational leadership by preparing candidates to serve as transformative school administrators in charter schools, and provides current and aspiring administrators with the tools and knowledge to deal with the competing demands they face in the charter school system.
As LMU’s Center for Catholic Education continues to pursue its mission of preserving the rich tradition of Catholic schools, its work has been greatly bolstered by a $750,000 award from The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The foundation is supporting Phase 3 of the Los Angeles Catholic Schools study, the Archdiocesan Partner 200-Day Study and the Future of Catholic Education in Los Angeles Planning Initiative. This support is invaluable at a time when there is a critical need for research on the most effective approaches for operating Catholic schools and educating their students, and for evidence on their contributions to society.
With a leadership gift of $1 million to provide operational and scholarship support for the Center for Catholic Education, John and Dorothy Shea have added to their legacy as longtime benefactors and integral partners in the SOE’s Catholic-focused teaching and leadership programs. Launched in 2010, the Center for Catholic Education brings together existing and new Catholic-focused programs in the key areas of leadership development, teacher preparation, and research and outreach.
A major grant from The Ahmanson Foundation assisted in the establishment of the School of Education’s Center for Catholic Education. The CCE provides support and training in business planning, development, fiscal management, sound governance and development for pastors and board members. The CCE will research the effectiveness of Catholic schools and new models for sustainability, and provide scholarships for education leaders to pursue master’s degrees and credentials.
Through a $200,000 gift, the Dan Murphy Foundation has continued its generous commitment to Los Angeles’ most underserved Catholic school students through PLACE (Partners in Los Angeles Catholic Education) Corps, a teacher preparation program within the Center for Catholic Education. With this gift, the foundation has now awarded the PLACE Corps program more than $1 million since 2004 in support of scholarships, convent maintenance, programs and instruction. The nationally recognized PLACE Corps program supports the city’s most under-resourced Catholic schools through the placement and support of outstanding, committed and faith-filled teachers.