February 11, 2026
The Teagle Foundation has awarded Ursuline College a new $25,000 grant, reinforcing its continued commitment to innovative humanities education focused on the Rust Belt and strengthening collaboration with Gannon University as the institutions move toward a planned merger.
The award builds on Ursuline’s nationally recognized Rust Belt Humanities Lab, an interdisciplinary initiative exploring the cultural, economic, and social dimensions of the region while preparing students to think critically, write clearly, and engage thoughtfully with their communities. Through faculty collaboration, curricular innovation, and immersive programming, the initiative has positioned Ursuline as a national leader in place-based humanities education.
This latest grant will expand Rust Belt–focused programming and extend opportunities to students across both Ursuline and Gannon campuses, including Erie, Pennsylvania. Total Teagle Foundation support now stands at $130,000, including an original $100,000 grant, the new $25,000 award, and a $5,000 travel grant.
“The Teagle Foundation’s continued support affirms the academic strength and shared mission that unite Ursuline College and Gannon University,” said David King, Ph.D., President of Ursuline College. “This investment expands high-impact humanities learning that prepares students to think critically about place, identity, and responsibility as we move toward a unified institution.”
Teagle has supported Ursuline’s Rust Belt humanities work since 2024, reflecting a sustained commitment to strengthening undergraduate education in regions undergoing economic and social transition.
“The Teagle Foundation’s support has had a clear and measurable impact on how our students understand their values and their responsibility to the region,” said Katie Trostel, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English and Co-Director of the Rust Belt Humanities Lab.
The expansion of the Teagle Foundation’s Cornerstone: Learning for Living initiative will deepen collaboration between Ursuline and Gannon faculty. Ursuline’s Department of English and Rust Belt Humanities Lab faculty — Katie Trostel, Hayley Verdi, and Valentino Zullo — are partnering with Gannon colleagues Jeff Bloodworth (history), Ann Bomberger (English), and Robyn Gaier (philosophy) to explore shared stories and regional identity along Lake Erie.
Ursuline’s Rust Belt humanities work has gained national attention, including a 2023 National Endowment for the Humanities–sponsored institute, Reading, Writing & Teaching the Rust Belt, which brought scholars from across the country to campus.
As Ursuline and Gannon move toward a unified institution, the initiative demonstrates how the campuses are already working together to enhance academic programming and student opportunity, with a long-term goal of expanding Ursuline’s Rust Belt Pathway into an integrated core curriculum spanning both campuses.
Ursuline College also acknowledges Rebecca Asmo, Executive Director of Ohio Humanities, for connecting the institution with the Teagle Foundation, and Annie Bezbatchenko, Senior Program Officer at the Teagle Foundation.
