1.
–
more
–
FOR
IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Johnson
University
Awarded
$600,000
Lilly
Endowment
Grant
to
Create
“Future
of
Hope”
Institute
for
Knoxville
High
School
Leaders
University
initiative
to
provide
leadership
classes,
mentorships,
service
project
funding,
and
college
scholarships
to
the
best
and
brightest
high
school
student
leaders
in
urban
Knoxville
and
beyond
Knoxville,
Tennessee
–
December
8,
2015
Johnson
University
has
received
a
$600,000
grant
from
Lilly
Endowment
Inc.
to
support
the
creation
of
the
Knoxville
Future
of
Hope
Institute.
This
grant
is
one
of
82
grants
made
to
private
four-­‐year
colleges
and
universities
around
the
nation
toward
the
development
of
high
school
youth
theology
institutes.
The
goal
of
this
$44.5
million
investment
is
to
encourage
young
people
to
explore
theological
traditions,
ask
questions
about
the
moral
dimensions
of
contemporary
issues,
and
examine
how
their
faith
calls
them
to
lives
of
service.
"These
colleges
and
universities
are
well-­‐positioned
to
reach
out
to
high
school
students
in
this
way,"
said
Dr.
Christopher
L.
Coble,
vice
president
for
religion
at
Lilly
Endowment.
"They
have
outstanding
faculty
in
theology
and
religion
who
know
how
to
help
young
people
explore
the
wisdom
of
religious
traditions
and
apply
these
insights
to
contemporary
challenges."
Through
the
newly
formed
Future
of
Hope
Institute,
a
group
of
approximately
25
high-­‐potential
high
school
students,
primarily
from
Knoxville’s
Empowerment
Zone
neighborhoods,
will
spend
one
week
living,
learning,
and
serving
together,
after
which
students
will
spend
six
months
collaborating
with
mentors
from
partner
agencies
across
Knoxville
to
develop
and
implement
a
service
project
that
provides
a
concrete
response
to
one
of
the
challenging
issues
facing
the
city.
The
program
begins
summer
2016.
“Lilly
Endowment’s
grant
allows
Johnson
University
to
not
only
fund
the
classes,
mentorships
and
service
projects
but
also
to
compensate
students
for
the
time
invested
away
from
their
summer
jobs
and
provide
college
scholarships
for
Future
of
Hope
graduates,”
said
Dr.
Gary
David
Stratton,
Johnson
University
dean
of
arts
and
sciences
and
chairman
of
the
Future
of
Hope
project.
The
Future
of
Hope
Institute
is
a
partnership
between
Johnson
University
and
Knoxville-­‐area
non-­‐
profits
and
churches,
including
Knoxville
Leadership
Foundation,
Emerald
Youth
Foundation,
Knoxville
Fellows,
Young
Life,
Compassion
Coalition,
Berean
Christian
School,
New
Hope
Missionary
Baptist
Church,
Fellowship
Church
North,
First
Baptist
Knoxville,
First
Baptist
Concord,
All
Souls,
Crossings,
and
Fellowship
Evangelical
Free
Church.
“Lilly
Endowment’s
$600,000
investment
in
the
youth
of
Knoxville
allows
us
to
extend
Johnson’s
partnership
with
Knoxville
churches
and
non-­‐profits
to
the
next
generation
of
city
leaders,
“said
Dr.
Gary
Weedman,
Johnson
University
president.
“We
want
to
help
these
student
leaders
find
a
hopeful
future,
and
help
them
usher
in
a
future
of
hope
for
the
city
of
Knoxville
as
well.”
Since
1893,
Johnson
University
has
been
a
leader
in
Christian
higher
education.
Johnson
is
listed
on
Forbes
magazine’s
“100
Most
Financially
Fit
Colleges,”
and
among
the
nation’s
“Top
Christian

2.
Colleges”
by
Niche.
The
University
offers
more
than
70
associate,
bachelor’s,
master’s,
and
Ph.D.
degrees
across
three
campuses.
Lilly
Endowment
Inc.
is
an
Indianapolis-­‐based
private
philanthropic
foundation
created
in
1937
by
three
members
of
the
Lilly
family
-­‐
J.K.
Lilly
Sr.
and
sons
J.K.
Jr.
and
Eli
-­‐
through
gifts
of
stock
in
their
pharmaceutical
business,
Eli
Lilly
&
Company.
The
Endowment
exists
to
support
the
causes
of
religion,
education
and
community
development.
Lilly
Endowment’s
religion
grantmaking
is
designed
to
deepen
and
enrich
the
religious
lives
of
American
Christians.
It
does
this
largely
through
initiatives
to
enhance
and
sustain
the
quality
of
ministry
in
American
congregations
and
parishes
Contact
Gary
David
Stratton,
Dean
of
the
School
of
Arts
and
Science
at
Johnson
University
865.251.1243,
gstratton@johnsonu.edu
Quotes
from
Future
of
Hope
Institute
Partners
“As
a
leader
in
the
context
of
adolescent
spiritual
formation
for
over
three
decades,
I
am
extraordinarily
intrigued
by
and
enthusiastic
about
the
Johnson
University
proposal
for
a
community-­‐wide,
collaborative
leadership
development
project
among
Knoxville’s
high
school
students.
Knoxville
has
several
quality
ministry
leaders
whose
track
record
demonstrates
a
meaningful
impact
on
the
city’s
youth.
The
concept
of
complementing
and
building
upon
their
impact
with
creative,
collaborative
community
development
not
only
has
my
attention
but
also
my
heart.”
–Richard
R.
Dunn,
pastor
of
Fellowship
Evangelical
Free
Church.
“Johnson’s
commitment
to
excellence
and
strong
historic
tradition
as
a
faith-­‐based
institution
have
long
been
appreciated
in
Knoxville…
Having
been
involved
directly
in
community
development
in
Knoxville
since
1994,
we
[the
Knoxville
Leadership
Foundation]
are
especially
pleased
to
see
the
emphasis
that
Johnson
University
intends
to
make
now
through
this
initiative
where
the
youth
of
Knoxville’s
inner
city
communities
are
concerned.
It
is
a
critical
need,
and
we
are
confident
of
Johnson’s
capacity
to
carry
this
project
forward
in
a
collaborative
manner
for
the
well-­‐being
of
the
entire
community.”
–Christopher
L.
Martin,
president
of
the
Knoxville
Leadership
Foundation.
“Given
the
challenges
the
young
people
of
our
city
face
today,
the
cultivation
of
such
a
leadership
development
initiative
strikes
us
as
both
critical
and
timely.”
–Joe
B.
Maddox,
pastor
of
New
Hope
Missionary
Baptist
Church.
“I
believe
the
Future
of
Hope
Institute
comes
at
a
time
when
Knoxville
is
looking
for
ways
to
help
develop
and
retain
our
young
African-­‐American
professionals,
as
well
as
making
greater
strides
towards
racial
reconciliation.
We
need
the
youth
of
the
inner
city
who
possess
strong
leadership
skills
to
participate
in
identifying
other
pressing
needs
in
Knoxville
and
to
work
collaboratively
with
non-­‐profit,
civic
and
Christian
leaders
helping
to
create
solutions.
I
believe
the
Future
of
Hope
Institute
will
have
a
profound
impact
on
the
lives
of
these
individuals,
as
well
as
our
city.”
–Doug
Banister,
pastor
of
All
Souls
church.
“Through
theological
training,
hands-­‐on
mentoring
and
the
completion
of
their
service
project,
students
will
graduate
from
the
Future
of
Hope
Institute
with
a
deeper
faith,
a
broader

3.
understanding
of
the
challenges
facing
modern
cities,
and
a
heightened
vision
for
their
own
lives
and
their
own
role
in
God’s
work
in
the
city.”
–Kenneth
Woodhull,
Johnson
University
professor
and
director
of
Johnson’s
Urban
Alliance
program.
#####