January 12, 2026
Trine University has received a $200,000 planning grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help the university explore various challenges and opportunities arising from rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and guide their integration into curricula.
The grant was provided through Lilly Endowment’s Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education initiative (AIHE). Similar planning grants have been awarded to colleges and universities throughout Indiana.
“Thanks to the strong sense of innovation that runs throughout our academic leadership, Trine University is already ahead of the curve in terms of integrating AI into our academic programs,” said Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University president. “We’re grateful for Lilly Endowment’s support as we continue to provide our students with the resources and technology to succeed, lead and serve, not only in today’s world but in the years to come.”
Exploration and training
The grant will enable the university’s AI Task Force, which was established about two years ago, to work with teams within each of the university’s academic schools to consider challenges such as preserving human-driven learning and assessment integrity as the university designs a roadmap for AI integration.
The university will explore the rapidly expanding array of AI tools and applications that could be integrated into Trine’s academic programs and support institutional effectiveness.
Funds will be used to pilot an open-source, enterprise-grade generative AI platform that will allow Trine to build secure, customized AI assistants within a single environment.
The grant also will allow the university to provide training and professional development related to AI integration in higher education.
Prepared for the future
According to Lilly Endowment, the AIHE initiative aims to help Indiana colleges and universities consider more fully the challenges and opportunities that artificial intelligence (AI) presents for their institutions and their students. It also allows them to develop new or enhance existing strategies to improve their students’ educational opportunities and outcomes and their preparation to prosper in the workplace and life in a future that will be increasingly shaped by AI.
In addition to planning grants, the initiative includes a second phase through which Lilly Endowment will provide funding opportunities for AI implementation and for collaborative AI programs between Indiana higher education institutions. Grants from the second phase will be announced in late 2026.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, and maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
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