Moder is one of the founders of local nonprofit Strong Compass. Strong Compass was founded by Combat Veterans looking for a way to reconnect to civilian life and incorporate the knowledge, skills, and experiences gained through their time in the military.
The first day of class I knew that this was going to be the perfect class to round out my major (Environmental & Outdoor Education) and set me up for success in my professional life. Dr. Beard set the tone by letting us know there was money out there and it’s our job to get it into the hands of people helping people.  When I was given the go-ahead to write a real grant for my final project, I dove into the challenge.
Moder developed applications over the course of the Fall semester and, in Spring 2023, learned that Strong Compass won a $10,000 grant from the Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation.
According to John,
Outside of class I am the Executive Director of a Veteran Service Organization that offers healing experiences, including a 10 week horse-based program. I chose to apply for a grant that would fund the newly written program, and was awarded it! I am grateful for a class and professor that values the application of information as much as the transferring of it. We are 2 weeks into this cohort and things are shaping up to be an impactful experience for all of us.
Grant Writing is just one of the skills taught in the Writing Studies curriculum than helps students make the world a better place.
For more information about Strong Compass, visit strongcompass.com
For more information about the Writing Studies major and the Professional Writing minor, visit the Department of English, Linguistics, and Writing Studies website at cahss.d.umn.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/majors, or email program coordinator David Beard at [email protected]Â