UD’s Wendt Center receives grant to boost student development

The University of Dubuque’s Wendt Center has received a $355,150 Educating Character Initiative 2025 Institutional Impact Grant. This three-year grant aims to enhance character education across the campus, focusing on undergraduate curricula and programming. Liza Johnson, director of the Wendt Center, said the grant will help strengthen their programming, offering more students opportunities to explore character and leadership. The grant will support the center’s project, Shaping Character Through the Head, Heart, and Hands: A Vision for Purposeful Living. This initiative combines reflective thinking, compassionate connection, and purposeful action. The Wendt Center, founded in 2004, aims to evolve into a transformative presence, benefiting students across all fields of study. Adam Hoffman, vice president for academic affairs at the university, expressed enthusiasm for the grant’s potential to expand the center’s reach and impact. The Wendt Character Scholars Program will also be extended to include a fourth-year experience. The Wendt Center plans to integrate character learning outcomes across all 19 academic disciplines, enhancing educational outcomes and student engagement.