Investing in Faculty and Innovation

Borders Innovation Grant

Each year, faculty are invited to apply for a Borders Innovation Grant, funded through the Borders Family Endowment for Professional Development established by the Borders family and the Tapestry Foundation. Their investment is driving innovation in the classroom, empowering faculty members like Canon Ellis, computer science instructor, and Troy Lanier P ’23, ’21, electronics and robotics instructor and PIRL Director, to put cutting-edge technology in students’ hands and to develop new courses that prepare Spartans to navigate and lead in a rapidly evolving world.

One such course, AI for Non-Programmers, introduces students to artificial intelligence without requiring coding experience. Students explore how AI systems are built, investigate real-world applications and engage with the ethical and social implications of technology. In a hands-on, project-driven format, AI acts as a collaborator, helping students ideate, prototype and iterate designs. The course culminates in a capstone project where students apply ethical frameworks and co-create AI-enhanced solutions to real-world challenges, fostering confidence, creativity and practical AI literacy across disciplines.

Faculty support is a central priority of Lasting Impact: The Campaign for St. Stephen’s, alongside a new Science and Technology Center that will further expand opportunities for discovery and innovation. Thanks to donors like the Borders family and the Tapestry Foundation, our students are learning from inspired educators today while preparing to lead responsibly in the world of tomorrow.