IWU Gets $1 Million 'Brain Drain' Grant

Indiana Wesleyan University has received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment to develop internship and placement opportunities aimed at encouraging IWU graduates to stay in Indiana after they graduate from college.

IWU submitted the proposal for the so-called "Brain Drain" grant in cooperation with the Innovative Network, a program developed by the Grant County Economic Growth Council.

"The grant is designed to serve the economic development needs of Grant County by creating educational programs that will retain and retrain the workforce in the county." said Dr. Mark Smith, Vice President of IWU's College of Adult and Professional Studies. "These programs also will create an innovative environment for new ideas to stimulate economic growth."

Indiana colleges and universities received a total of $38.9 million from Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment's Initiative to Promote Opportunity Through Education Collaboration.

"We are most pleased with the imagination and creativity demonstrated by Indiana colleges and universities in their proposals for this initiative," said Sara B. Cobb, vice president for education for Lilly Endowment.

"Dozens of new relationships with alumni and others have been developed that will offer numerous internships and other experiential education opportunities for Indiana students," she said.

The IWU grant will be used specifically to:
Retain IWU Graduates

  • By providing internships to better prepare students for the workplace and to connect them with the community and Grant County employers.
  • By committing to provide an average of 30 internships a year.
  • Through the internship program and placement services, to anticipate retaining 300 more IWU graduates in Grant County over the next four years.


Retain the Local Workforce
  • Provide career planning, life and placement services so that the existing workforce can better know job needs compared to their skills; identify areas of improvement; and locate jobs that need these skills.


Retrain Local Employers
  • Update skills and strategies through workshops and seminars.
  • Host meetings to develop ideas and share best business practices.


Retrain the Local Workforce
  • Develop and officer certificate programs to improve the technological skills of the workforce.
  • Provide better access to existing degree programs offered by IWU.


Create New Jobs
  • A retrained workforce should entice emerging technology companies to come to Grant County.
  • Anticipated growth at IWU will require hiring new employees, most of who will need to be proficient with computers.
  • Create an Innovation Center with learning and development laboratories to provide consulting services and to work on projects for potential and existing businesses. Plans call for the Innovation Center to be located in University Plaza, which IWU acquired in July.

For more information:

Dr. Mark Smith, Vice President
College of Adult and Professional Studies
Indiana Wesleyan University
7675-677-2352