Grant supports BC formative education mission
The Walton Family Foundation has awarded Boston College a $2,225,000 grant to advance its mission of formative education by transforming K-12 education nationwide.
The three-year initiative, titled “Cultivating Purpose in Diverse Educational Contexts with a Scalable ‘Wise Intervention,’” will develop innovative approaches to student engagement and teacher well-being, according to Lynch School of Education and Human Development Professor Belle Liang, the Ascione Family Formation Fellow and co-principal investigator.
Kendall Cotton Bronk, a professor of psychology in the Division of Behavioral & Social Sciences at Claremont Graduate University, is co-principal investigator.
Belle Liang (Caitlin Cunningham)
“As American schools face unprecedented challenges in student engagement and teacher retention, this pioneering initiative aims to revolutionize how schools approach these critical issues by developing and implementing evidence-based strategies to cultivate purpose and belonging in K-12 schools nationwide,” said Liang.
The urgency of this work is underscored by troubling trends in American education. According to the National Association of State Boards of Education, even prior to the coronavirus pandemic, 40 to 60 percent of students demonstrated signs of disengagement, ranging from a lack of participation to classroom disruption. A subsequent investigation by the EdWeek Research Center noted that over 80 percent of teachers reported that student motivation and engagement had further declined since the COVID-19 outbreak.
This crisis extends to educators themselves. The 2024 State of the American Teacher Survey reveals an alarming trend: 63 percent of female teachers reported experiencing burnout last year, an increase from 56 percent in 2021.
“This initiative comes at a pivotal moment when educators and students alike are yearning for purpose and belonging,” said Liang, a licensed clinical psychologist who founded the Lynch School-based Purpose Lab. “We’re seeing a nationwide desire to dig down into authentic self-discovery while reaching outward to make a lasting impact. Our work responds to this powerful drive to connect personal growth with meaningful contribution.”
This initiative will implement four interconnected tactics designed to create lasting change in American education:
•An innovative professional development program that will equip educators with tools to foster purpose and belonging in students while strengthening their own professional well-being
•A comprehensive “Purpose Toolkit” that translates cutting-edge research into practical, scalable strategies for K-12 schools
•Rigorous research and evaluation to assess the impact of purpose-driven interventions on student engagement, academic performance, and well-being, as well as educator retention and satisfaction
•A partnership with San Francisco-based communications firm Public Design to enhance, publicize, and disseminate the interventions and toolkit to schools nationwide
The project combines complementary expertise from both institutions: At Claremont Graduate University, Bronk directs the Adolescent Moral Development Lab, where her pioneering research has revealed how young people develop purpose, creating a powerful synergy with Liang’s research at the Lynch School.
Liang, who co-authored How to Navigate Life: The New Science of Finding Your Way in School, Career & Beyond in 2022, said, “In this moment of educational transformation, we have an unprecedented opportunity to reshape how schools help students and educators to connect deeply with themselves, each other, and their futures. When we help young people connect their learning to a larger purpose, we’re not just improving educational outcomes, we’re cultivating the next generation of purposeful leaders who will transform their communities and our world.”
“It’s wonderful to see this additional support for Professor Liang’s important work on developing a sense of purpose among young people,” said Stanton E. F. Wortham, Charles F. Donovan, S.J., Dean of the Lynch School. “BC has always been concerned with young people’s ethical and spiritual development, and helping our students develop a robust sense of purpose is central to what we do. In recent years, schools and universities in the broader society have also become interested in purpose as a central educational goal. It is great to see our work being recognized and having this kind of impact.”
“This initiative comes at a pivotal moment when educators and students alike are yearning for purpose and belonging. We’re seeing a nationwide desire to dig down into authentic self-discovery while reaching outward to make a lasting impact.”