Professor Karen L. Anderson Receives NetVUE Professional Development Award

Professor of Education Karen L. Anderson, faculty director of Stonehill College’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), has received a Professional Development Award from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE). The $20,000 award will support Stonehill’s “Leading with Hope: Defining Vocational Exploration in the Holy Cross Tradition” initiative throughout the 2025–2026 academic year. 

“Leading with Hope” invites faculty, staff and administrators to deepen their understanding of vocation by cultivating a shared language rooted in the Holy Cross tradition. Building on existing professional development structures, the initiative began in August 2025 with a session at Stonehill’s Refresh, Reflect, and Reset conference for employees. The program explored how “compassionate pedagogy” can empower students to pursue a more just world.  

The task of defining vocational exploration will continue throughout fall 2025 as cross-divisional teams participate in Teaching Circles. Then, in spring 2026, participants will translate this understanding into student learning outcomes that foster purpose, reflection and hope across academic and co-curricular experiences. 

The work being undertaken for “Leading with Hope” is guided by three interconnected stakeholder groups: 

Advisory Board – Responsible for general oversight of all grant-related project initiatives:

• Karen L. Anderson, CETL Faculty Director & Advisory Board Chair
• Pauline Burke, Vice President for Student Affairs
• Rev. Timothy Mouton, C.S.C., Director of Campus Ministry
• Peter Ubertaccio, Vice President for Academic Affairs 

Steering Committee – Manages day-to-day operations of project activities:

• Karen L. Anderson, CETL Faculty Director & Steering Committee Chair
• Colleen Ford, Assistant Athletic Director, Business Operations
• Daniel Rogers, Associate Professor of Chemistry 
• Rev. Stephen Wilbright, C.S.C., Professor of Religious Studies and Theology 

Working Groups – Comprised of the 25 faculty, staff and administrators participating in Teaching Circles this fall. 

About CETL 

CETL serves as a hub for collaboration and innovation, supporting the development and refinement of pedagogy and practice across campus. Under Anderson’s leadership, it fosters dialogue and supports the scholarship of teaching and learning. 

“CETL celebrates excellence in teaching and learning right here on our campus,” Anderson said. “I have the honor of working alongside some truly remarkable educators—not just hearing about their impact from students but collaborating with them directly. It’s a privilege to call them colleagues.” 

About CIC and NetVUE 

The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) is a national association of nonprofit independent colleges and universities, dedicated to advancing institutional excellence and enhancing public understanding of their contributions to society. NetVUE, a CIC initiative supported by Lilly Endowment Inc., helps institutions foster vocational exploration and discernment among undergraduate students. 

Stonehill’s “Leading with Hope” initiative is one of 43 projects recognized this year through NetVUE’s Professional Development Awards. Now in its 12th year, the program supports projects that build institutional capacity for vocational reflection. 

“This year’s Professional Development Award grantees will build capacity among staff and faculty members to develop initiatives that lay the groundwork for future campus engagement around vocation,” said Robert Pampel, officer for the NetVUE Grants Program. “I am eager to see how these campus teams convert their curiosity and thoughtfulness around vocation into inclusive, reflective, and purposeful initiatives that lay the groundwork for transformational vocation work in the future.”