Texas Christian University was awarded the Interfaith America Faith and Health Campus Grant, a prestigious award aimed at integrating interfaith understanding into healthcare education. This grant brings together faculty from the John V. Roach Honors College, the Pre-Health Professions Institute, and the Department of Religion in a collaborative effort to bridge faith and medicine.
The $60,000 grant was co-authored by professors Sharrona Pearl, Ph.D., the inaugural Andrews Chair of Interdisciplinary Studies in the Roach Honors College; Matthew Crawford, Ph.D., from the Pre-Health Professions Institute within the College of Science and Engineering; and Patricia Duncan, Ph.D. and Jan Quesada, Ph.D., both from the Department of Religion.
This grant will fund major initiatives, most notably a regional religion and healthcare symposium in fall 2025. The symposium will open with a keynote address and dinner, followed by an expert-led thematic panel, and an open call for student research and poster presentations.
Beyond the symposium, the grant will also enhance curriculum to incorporate interfaith perspectives into healthcare education. Planned initiatives include new courses exploring the intersection of faith and medicine, updates to the cultural awareness in healthcar4e minor, partnerships with local faith-based healthcare organizations, and guest lecturers from diverse religious backgrounds who will bring valuable perspectives into TCU classrooms.
Students from a variety of disciplines will have the opportunity to participate in the program. Pre-health students will gain crucial training in religious and cultural sensitivity, while religion and Roach Honors College students will contribute unique perspectives to these discussions.
Looking at the long-term goals of the program, Pearl envisions fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across the university and creating a certificate program in interfaith healthcare competency, leading to students pursuing careers in hospital chaplaincy, religious sensitive caregiving, and other healthcare-related professions.