Westfield State University Receives Davis Educational Foundation Grant

WESTFIELD — The Davis Education Foundation has awarded Westfield State University a two-year grant of $449,980 to support the ongoing project “From Innovation to Impact: Scaling General Education Reform to Advance Westfield’s Integrative Student Experience.”

The grant will empower Westfield State to continue strengthening its general education curriculum by ensuring that learning outcomes, practice standards, and high-impact practices are fully integrated into redesigned courses. The funding will also permit Westfield State to formalize and expand its peer mentor program, an initiative that improves student leadership skills, engagement, confidence, and success.

In awarding the grant, the foundation’s trustees praised Westfield State’s effort to revise its general education curriculum as an “impressive undertaking by a dedicated group of professionals.”

The support of the Davis Educational Foundation will advance Westfield State’s strategic plan and strengthen its mission to foster the economic, social, and cultural vitality of the region by equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and character to lead with purpose and civic responsibility.

“We extend our gratitude to the Davis Educational Foundation trustees for their continued support in acknowledging the critical importance of cultivating an educational environment that is pertinent, timely, and effectively prepares students for success in the modern world,” said Linda Thompson, president of Westfield State University.

The Davis Educational Foundation was established by Stanton and Elisabeth Davis after Stanton’s retirement as chairman of Shaw’s Supermarkets Inc.