Honors Tutorial College awarded nearly $50,000 for new program for OHIO students

Ohio University’s Honors Tutorial College (HTC) has been awarded a nearly $50,000 Capacity Building Grant from the Educating Character Initiative (ECI), which is part of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University.

The grant will fund the project “‘Life is Abundant:’ Character Education in Appalachian Ohio.” The HTC is working in collaboration with the Patton College of Education and Passion Works Studios on the project, which will support the character education and development of second-year students within HTC and the OHIO Honors Program, as well as establish a character education community of practice for faculty, staff and community guests.

The stated mission of the ECI is to inspire, educate and empower leaders of character to serve humanity. In the past year, ECI has awarded 40 Capacity Building Grants to 42 colleges and universities. The “Life Is Abundant” project at Ohio University will support students as they reflect upon, develop and strengthen traits like compassion, humility, open-mindedness, generosity, gratitude and integrity; examine the ways in which those values are present in Appalachian Ohio; and provide university educators and community partners with approaches and tools for educating character in their own distinct fields.

In 2025-2026, second-year students in the Honors Tutorial program and OHIO Honors Program have the opportunity to participate in the “Life Is Abundant” experience, which includes a semester-long service-learning project at Passion Works and a supplementary course examining the theory and praxis of cultivating character. The title of the project comes from Passion Works founder and executive director Patty Mitchell’s theory of “creative abundance,” or the belief that each of us, across our differences, has strengths, creativities and perspectives needed to collectively build and enhance our communities. Working with Passion Works provides Ohio University students with unique learning opportunities, while they also provide valuable assistance to the Passion Works Studio.

The character education community of practice for faculty, staff and community guests is beginning in Spring 2026 and is led by the Patton College’s Laura Harrison and Pete Mather.

Project co-PIs Mary Kate Hurley and Chris Lewis say they are excited about the work ahead.

“We believe we can meaningfully support students’ development of character traits needed for personal fulfillment, positive community impact and professional success, and simultaneously support the Passion Works Studio with its important work, via this grant,” said Lewis.

Hurley hopes that this initiative will offer students an opportunity to craft meaningful change outside the classroom.

“We want to give students an opportunity to explore not only what they want to do with their lives, but the person they want to be while doing it. 'Life Is Abundant' gives them space to reflect on precisely that, while participating in a service project that brings them out of the university and into the community in a sustained way,” Hurley said.

Honors Tutorial College Dean Kristina Bross added that “The Honors Tutorial College is proud to be a recipient of a Character Education Initiative grant. We are excited to see how second-year students will develop their skills through deep engagement with community partners, beginning with our  partnership with Passion Works Studio.”