Loyola University Chicago’s Joan and Bill Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage (CCIH) supports research by full-time Loyola University faculty on topics concerned with or connected to the Catholic intellectual heritage. The primary purpose of this support is to facilitate advanced scholarly study of Catholic thought as it touches upon the arts, humanities, and sciences. 

Research projects can be proposed as summer projects, semester-long projects, or year-long research commitments, and by either individuals or teams of researchers. Grants are awarded to projects with specific concerns connected to Catholic thought and practice, Ignatian intellectual and pedagogical heritage, and social justice in the Catholic tradition. 

All research projects are expected to culminate in some relevant output such as data collection, the publication of a journal article or book, or a conference presentation. Proposals can request support for a variety of scholarly activities, including archival research, book manuscript support, data collection, the planning of a conference, or supported field work. Awardees are expected to report on the progress of their research and participate in any activities the Hank Center develops to communicate this research—both inside and outside of Loyola University. Successful applicants are expected to submit a progress report and a final report that describes the outcomes of the funded research. 

There are several funding tracks for our research awards, and applicants should be prepared to indicate the funding track for which they are applying. First, applicants will be asked to indicate whether they are applying for a summer, semester-long, or year-long award. Funding for individual researchers is capped at $3000 for summer and semester-long projects, and at $6000 for year-long projects. If research teams want to apply for funding beyond these caps, please contact us before submitting your application. 

Applicants will also be asked to indicate whether research funds will be used to support (1) supplemental salary, (2) project expenses, or (3) a combination of (1) and (2). Supplemental salary is disbursed directly to awardees, and paid out in two installments--one towards the beginning of the award period, and the second at the end of the award period. Project expenses can include travel expenses, book purchases, conference registrations, etc. For proposals that include expenses to pay personnel--including staff, faculty, students, or other research collaborators or participants--please contact us before applying, as some of these expenses are allowable, and others are not. 

Loyola University Chicago’s Joan and Bill Hank Center for the Catholic Intellectual Heritage encourages the development of undergraduate and graduate courses connected to the broad range of Catholic thought. It does this by offering full-time Loyola faculty a stipend of up to $4,000 (pre-tax) for the development of these courses. 

Applications are reviewed and evaluated by the Hank Center Advisory Board, and are judged on the merit of the proposed course in relation to its pedagogical aims and its attention to topics of Catholic intellectual concern.

Faculty members in all disciplines--and both tenure track and non-tenure track--are encouraged to apply for course development funding through the Hank Center. In awarding course development funding, attention is given to distributing these funds equitably to faculty across all departments. Applications for undergraduate courses are additionally considered in relation to the proposed course’s curricular contribution to the university’s interdisciplinary minor in Catholic Studies. Applicants apply with the understanding that their proposed course must be taught within three (3) semesters after it has been funded and developed.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to consult with the Hank Center's Associate Director, Dr. Joseph Vukov (jvukov@luc.edu), in order to cultivate a constructive and pragmatic approach to course design.

Awarded faculty will have a full academic year to develop their courses. Upon completion of their courses, they will be required to submit the following materials to the Hank Center:

• A completed course syllabus
• Drafts of all assignments for the course
• A Sakai site for the course, or similar digital course asset
• A 1-page statement, and several small social media blurbs, describing how the course supports and furthers the Catholic Intellectual Tradition at Loyola.

Awarded faculty will also be required to meet several times as a cohort throughout the fellowship year for professional development and course planning.