SXU Receives Program Development Grant from NetVUE
Saint Xavier University (SXU) is among a select group of NetVUE members chosen to receive a Program Development Grant from the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC). The Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) is a nationwide network of over 300 colleges and universities formed to support and enrich vocational exploration. The grant support institutions in deepening, expanding, or strengthening programs that support students as they explore and discern their callings. At SXU, the award will specifically support nursing students.
SXU's Program Development Grant proposal will build on existing curricular discernment efforts by embedding a vocation-focused component within its undergraduate nursing curriculum. The existing Concepts in Professional Nursing course sequence will be updated to better guide students to deepen vocational exploration through faculty development, student retreats and community events. Key activities include workshops for faculty members to integrate vocation into coursework, expanding the reach of the nursing program through connections with experiential learning, and hosting on-campus nursing speakers and student retreats focused on vocational discernment. Additionally, vocation-centered and profession-centered discussions will be held to foster dialogue on meaningful work among students and faculty members.
The grant proposal will also provide future nursing leaders with a strong foundation to align their studies with the critical vocation of nursing. Through the lens of aligning identity with purpose and service, the initiative aims to equip emerging nurses with practices of vocational discernment that sustain resilience, strengthen commitment to the profession, and inform compassionate care.
Saint Xavier University staff and faculty involved in the project include Zepure Samawi, Ph.D., principal project leader; Charlene Bermele, DNP, nursing dean co-leader; Jean Kirk, DNP, nursing faculty co-leader; Jenny DeVivo, Ph.D., cabinet level administrator; and Karen Soos and Jorge Arévalo.