How can I integrate an industry partner project into my class (through the Bond Family Foundation Faculty Scholar Grant program)?
The Bond Family Foundation Faculty Scholar Grant program provides instructors who teach undergraduate students in the School of Arts and Sciences, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, and the Barry Florescue Undergraduate Business Program the opportunity to integrate career education, experiential learning, and Project-Based Learning (PBL) into the classroom. PBL is an experiential, high-impact teaching and learning practice in which student teams design solutions to complex, real-world problems through the application of course content as an academic assignment. The Greene Center works with Faculty Scholars to help identify a good-fit industry partner. Students strengthen academic and professional skills and contribute to the needs of Rochester-area industries by creating solutions of value.
Grant Description and Requirements: Bond Faculty Scholars receive a stipend of $4,000 and support from the Greene Center developing course-relevant projects, assignments, and meaningful assessment. Funds can be used to compensate for instructional development time and operational needs such as transportation, food, honoraria, and materials. A program goal is to create additional opportunities for experiential learning in the sophomore and junior years. Stipend recipients will be required to:
- Participate in industry project development meetings
- Distribute the Greene Center Industry Project Student Impact Assessment and complete the Greene Center Industry Project Faculty Impact Assessment, including a summary of outcomes.
- Submit samples of students’ industry projects.
Application Process: Interested applicants should submit an application with a budget of anticipated needs. Interested faculty are encouraged to contact Dr. Lynn Donahue before submitting to discuss your ideas. Please submit a separate application for each individual course you are proposing. Please also submit a tentative course syllabus (emailed separately to lynn.donahue@rochester.edu). All interested faculty will be contacted by the Greene Center.
Next Steps: The deadlines for 2026-2027 course stipends are as follows:
- Application deadline: Friday, April 3rd
- Notification of awards: Wednesday, April 15th
- Development of partners and projects: By end of June
- Planning and development work: Summer and Fall 2026
**Faculty interested in partnering with a non-profit organization through Community-Engaged Learning and a stipend opportunity should contact the Center for Community Engagement. Faculty interested in a stipend for applying experiential learning practices that do not involve an external partner should contact the Teaching Center.
If interested, please contact Dr. Lynn Donahue, Director of Career Curriculum Initiatives at lynn.donahue@rochester.edu. Lynn has 20+ years of experience working with faculty on pedagogy, experiential learning, assessment, community partnerships, and scholarship and has served as a course instructor in a variety of disciplines. She is an alumna of the University of Rochester Warner School (Ed.D, 2001).
Past Projects
ECON 238: Environmental Economics; Fall 2025
Faculty Partner: Mike Rizzo, Professor of Instruction; Economics
Industry Partner: Wegmans Food Markets
Students’ research of Wegmans’ competitors and Consultant frameworks and assessment of Scope 3 (value chain emissions) of a product, enabled Wegmans to publicly disclose Scope 3 CO2e emissions.
AME 223: Audio Electronics; Fall 2025
Faculty Partner: Daniel Phinney, Lecturer; Audio and Music Engineering
Industry Partner: Hydrologic Systems LLC
Students conducted circuit board assembly and testing using logic board analyzers, including a Golden Fixture and wiring harness, to support Hydrologic Systems’ new automated water treatment systems.
FMST 161: Introduction to Video Art; Fall 2025
Faculty Partner: Pirooz Kalayeh, Assistant Professor; Film and Media Studies/English
Industry Partner: Frintz
Students created B2B and B2C messaging through interviews and commercials for Frintz advertising campaign that promotes free photos for customers and targeted promotion of products for advertisers.
BME 245: Biomaterials; Spring 2025
Faculty Partner: Kanika Vats, Associate Professor of Instruction; Biomedical Engineering
Industry Partner: Crane Dental Lab
Students researched the strength of flexible materials for dentures and partials and compared them with manufactured materials to inform Crane Laboratories’ choice of suppliers.
EESC 213: Hydrology and Water Resources; Fall 2024
Faculty Partner: Karen Berger, Associate Professor of Instruction; Earth and Environmental Sciences
Industry Partners: Haley & Aldrich; Ontario County Soil & Water Conservation District (OCSWCD)
Haley & Aldrich: Research on emerging contaminants and their impacts, stormwater solar design, and permitting compliance for staff development. OCSWCD: A plan for offline retention to mitigate stormwater and reduce sediments and nutrients.
DMST 110: Game Design; Fall 2024
Faculty Partner: Joe Loporcaro, Assistant Professor, Digital Media Studies, Computer Science
Industry Partner: Great Lakes Gaming
Students created and taught a new offering for Great Lakes Gaming: a Game Design family workshop applying principles of game creation, including interactivity, character, challenge, and genre.
