FORT WAYNE, Ind.—The University of Saint Francis has received an additional three years of funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. for the Discovery Academy, which offers summer enrichment programs for students in kindergarten through grade 12. Lilly Endowment made the $415,827 grant through its Indiana Youth Programs on Campus (IYPC) initiative.
Launched in 2022 with an initial Lilly Endowment grant, the Discovery Academy will continue to run K-12 summer camps with the goal of inspiring academic and career interests, creativity and personal growth. Additionally, the Discovery Academy is looking to expand its year-round programming, offering multiple touchpoints for families and increasing opportunities for engagement.
“We are thrilled to receive the extended Lilly Endowment grant and continue our mission of inspiring K-12 students to reach higher,” Discovery Academy Director Devon Bond said. “We want to continue to encourage exploration and growth in all aspects of students’ lives.”
The Discovery Academy, which welcomed 518 students as part of 10 multi-day programs in 2025, will continue to hire high school and college students who are interested in strengthening their leadership skills and building long-term connections to both the Discovery Academy and the University of Saint Francis.
Families can stay up to date on programs by following the Discovery Academy on Instagram and Facebook or by signing up for the monthly newsletter.
The Discovery Academy team is committed to building strong partnerships with local school districts and youth-serving organizations. Contact Devon Bond at dbond@sf.edu with questions about how to partner. Visit camps.sf.edu for more information about current programming.
Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences, and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, Saint Francis designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point, Lafayette and online. Saint Francis Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 21 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. More than 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend Saint Francis.