Augustana University has recently been awarded a $5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for the “promotion and support of religious, educational or charitable purposes.” Augustana is one of 48 recipients in Lilly Endowment’s National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life 2025.
“We are honored to receive funding from Lilly Endowment through an initiative that aligns so deeply with Augustana’s mission, core values and strategic priorities. Lilly Endowment’s commitment to lifting up stories of Christian faith and life further inspires our efforts to empower young adults to share their faith journeys and strengthen the witness of the church within families and communities across our region and beyond,” said Augustana President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.
With support from Lilly Endowment, Augustana will launch a 5-year storytelling initiative, “Sacred Discoveries: Stories of Christian Flourishing in College.” The initiative will provide student storytellers with the resources and platform to produce hundreds of narratives that illuminate God’s faithfulness — from the profound ways that their childhood congregations shaped them to the faithful questions they are asking of God and the church as they navigate the complexity of college. These stories will be shared widely through podcasts, short films, written publications, live storytelling events, service experiences and artistic expressions to inspire congregations and communities across the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and beyond to know and love God.
“Many wonder and worry about the spiritual well-being of emerging generations — questioning their commitment or connection to the church. Assumptions are often made that when they are not in church physically, they are lost spiritually,” explained Sr. University Pastor and Vice President for Mission Integration Rev. Ann Rosendale ‘04. “At Augustana, a different story is unfolding. Young adults are living out compelling and authentic narratives that affirm the church’s impact on their lives.”
As part of the grant, Augustana will hire up to three full-time staff to ensure faithful administration and effective implementation of the initiative. Although every student will have the opportunity to share their stories, Buntrock Scholars — Augustana students who are active and engaged in ELCA congregations throughout the Midwest — will serve as lead storytellers. Opportunities for micro grants will be made available to Augustana faculty and staff, as well as congregations, synods and other ministry partners wishing to explore storytelling.
“For more than 165 years, Augustana University has been a beacon of faith-based education — nurturing generations of students who bring their spiritual curiosity, deep convictions and servant-leadership into a rapidly-changing world,” said Bishop of the South Dakota Synod, ELCA Rev. Constanze Hagmaier. “Augustana embodies a rare and robust partnership between church and higher education. Its vibrant campus ministry, commitment to theological reflection and engagement with the broader church make it an ideal institution to steward the vision of Lilly Endowment’s storytelling initiative.”
Strategic partnerships will further the reach of faith stories. Augustana will partner with The Moth Educational Program to equip students, faculty and staff in authentic and compelling storytelling. Mud Mile Communications will capture and share high-quality digital stories. The Augustana Midco Media Center and media production and & entrepreneurship majors will play a key role in capturing stories through the “God Pod” — a mobile recording studio designed and built exclusively for the “Sacred Discoveries” initiative. The God Pod will travel to congregations and communities across the region to engage people of faith in the practice of storytelling.
“Storytelling is a deeply vulnerable act and can be intimidating. ‘Sacred Discoveries’ is committed to creating a culture in which storytellers feel safe, supported and empowered to do so on their own terms,” said Rosendale. “Augustana University will equip a new generation of storytellers who can share God’s faithfulness with clarity, courage and hope wherever their callings lead them.”
Augustana expects to officially launch “Sacred Discoveries” in January 2026.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the endowment, it is a separate entity from the company with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A primary aim of its grantmaking in religion is to deepen the religious lives of Christians, principally by supporting efforts that enhance congregational vitality and strengthen the leadership of Christian communities. The endowment values the broad diversity of Christian traditions and endeavors to support them in a wide variety of contexts. The endowment also seeks to foster public understanding about religion by encouraging fair, accurate and balanced portrayals of the positive and negative effects of religion on the world and lifting up the contributions that people of all faiths make to our greater civic well-being.