Ashoka U Reflections

The University of Evansville Secures $30 Million Grant to Create Evansville Promise Neighborhood

We are delighted to share the wonderful news from the University of Evansville (UE), a Changemaker Campus, which has secured a $30 million grant to create Evansville Promise Neighborhood. This made UE one of three recipients in the US to be awarded this special grant by the US Department of Education in 2023. 

The Promise Neighborhood funding’s objective is to help children and youth by giving them access to successful schools and community support systems. Thus, the UE intends to help young people reach higher academic achievements, make the transition to college and advance in their career paths in the future through this grant. 

UE President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, emphasized "The significance of this investment by our university for numerous families who require assistance is critical and extraordinarily impactful for the well-being of our entire Evansville community. […] This is what being a Changemaker campus is all about…”. 

Tara Barney, CEO of the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership highlighted that the success of receiving this grant is a result of a “high level of collaboration and strategic visioning”, and that it will create a “lasting impact and opportunity” to uplift the quality of place for the community. 

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to this Changemaker Campus on this accomplishment. This is an important and transformational time for higher education institutions, as social innovation and social impact is further addressed and increasingly led by them. 

- Ashoka U -