Thanks to the vision of an anonymous alumni donor and the collaborative support of campus leadership, NCSSM has launched its Faculty Scholars Program. This new initiative provides faculty members with the resources to design and pursue immersive experiential learning opportunities. From cutting-edge research and fieldwork to innovative pedagogical studies, these grants fuel professional growth and benefit the broader academic community.

The program is open to full-time permanent faculty with at least five years of experience at the school. While the program was initially established through a generous donor gift, the inaugural year saw a unique display of institutional support: the Deans of Humanities and Mathematics contributed additional professional development funds to ensure that two high-impact proposals could be fully realized.

The first two recipients of the Faculty Scholars grant, David Cantrell and Ashley Loftis ’07, will use their funding this summer to explore diverse global and historical perspectives that will directly enrich their classrooms.

Exploring Ancestral Cultures of the Colorado Plateau

David Cantrell, a veteran Humanities instructor with 13 years of service at NCSSM, will travel to northern Arizona to study ancestral and contemporary Puebloan cultures. Building on more than a decade of leading student trips to the region, Cantrell’s research will focus on the “political imagination” of ancient peoples and how they organized communal life.

His project involves studying material culture at the Heard Museum and the Museum of Northern Arizona, as well as engaging in ongoing dialogues with Hopi artists and cultural historians. Cantrell noted in his proposal that he wants to bring this knowledge into the classroom, emphasizing the importance of preparing students for the “intellectual autonomy necessary for happiness.” His findings will also inform Fifth World, NCSSM’s journal of interdisciplinary research.

A Global Perspective on Mathematics Education

Ashley Loftis ’07, who serves as the Dan Teague Endowed Professor of Mathematics and has been with NCSSM for eight years as a faculty member, will travel to Japan for a professional study of the country’s world-renowned mathematics instruction.

Loftis’ experience will include working with math education researchers at the University of Tokyo and observing secondary school classrooms to see how research translates into daily practice. Her goal is to understand the teaching practices that foster the rigorous mathematical thinking and problem-solving Japan is known for. “Observing these environments directly will allow me to learn about teaching approaches and educational structures that cannot be fully understood through reading or remote study,” Loftis said. She plans to share these international insights with her colleagues and the broader math community through future workshops and professional development.

A New Chapter for Faculty Scholarship

The Faculty Scholars Program marks a significant investment in the people who make NCSSM a leader in specialized education. By supporting deep, experiential learning for faculty, the program ensures that the spirit of exploration and innovation remains at the heart of the NCSSM experience.

“This program is about turning those ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ professional dream experiences into reality,” said Angela Teachey, Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Programs. “With the successful funding of these first two projects through generous donor and departmental support, we are off to an exciting start in fostering the next level of faculty innovation and scholarship at NCSSM.”

The impact of the initiative is rooted in the philanthropic spirit of the NCSSM community. “We are fortunate to have donors and friends who believe so deeply in the school, our mission, and our students,” said Barb Coury, Vice Chancellor for Development and NCSSM Foundation President. “Their support provides the spark that allows our world-class faculty to reach even greater heights and bring this knowledge and experience back to the classroom, which enriches so many of our current students.”