New Neighbor, Shared Mission: Butler Founder’s College and the CTS Library 

Visitors returning to the CTS Library may notice something new above the library entrance. The previously unoccupied upper-level space now houses Butler University’s Founder’s College — an innovative program designed to expand access, opportunity, and support for students pursuing higher education. 

Touted as a “different kind of college experience,” the two-year degree program that is embedded within the four-year college is unlike any other program in the county. Dr. Carolyn Gentle-Genitty who serves as the Founder’s College Dean said that the model was developed in response to the Butler goal of rethinking educational opportunities.  

A Different Kind of College Experience 

“If we are to change education as we know it,” Gentle-Genitty said, “we have to respond differently.” She outlined the model which emphasizes exposure, education, and experimentation for students. “It’s critical to offer a variety of experiences to students so they can see what is available – it changes how they show up and interact with the world.”  

Gentle-Genitty’s goal for the program is to increase the trained talent for Indiana which has a wide range of benefits for the state. She emphasized that the Founder’s College keeps the academic rigor that Butler is known for while adding work networks and support systems. The program also removes barriers such as expenses and resources students to make sure they can fully take part in a college experience. 

Supports available to students include:  

• grants to cover two years of tuition,  

• financial resources to address the “cost of attendance” (books, housing, meals, etc.), 

• laptops, books, and other supplies, and  

• access to supports such as career coaching, social workers, and mentors.  

The physical space is also set up to provide supportive and nurturing setting classrooms, faculty and staff offices, meeting and study rooms, and student services. 

“We wanted to put the college experience in reach for students who may not have thought it was an option,” Gentle-Genitty said. “We welcome those who see themselves here with us.” In its first year, 29 high school students were recruited into the Founder’s College.  

A Shared Educational Space 

According to Kenetha Stanton, Collection Management Librarian and Acting Library Director at Christian Theological Seminary, the Founder’s College staff and students have become great neighbors. “They did a beautiful job renovating the space — it seems to be well designed for their use and is much more polished and modern looking than the old library space had been.”  

Even though the construction resulted in a smaller physical footprint and a lot of dust during the actual process, Stanton said it has been wonderful to have the Founder’s College above the CTS library. “With their space active and full of people, it brings a lot more energy to this space,” she said. “We are physically distant from the rest of the seminary staff, so it feels more active and alive than it has for a while.” 

An Invitation to Connect 

Stanton encourages alumni to visit the new library space to see the Founder’s College and explore the CTS Library for themselves. “We do still have an extensive physical collection as well as other print collections stored out of sight for use here in the library,” she says.  “We also expanded our digital collection significantly as we increasingly serve students who are located remotely.” CTS Alumni still have library accounts, allowing them to check out books and access the ATLA database. Stanton encourages alumni to contact the Circulation Desk with any questions about engaging these resources. 

While Stanton encourages alumni to reconnect with the CTS Library and its growing digital and physical resources, Gentle-Genitty hopes CTS students and alumni will also engage opportunities through Founder’s College initiatives such as Bridge and Bond — a monthly community gathering centered on conversation, networking, and connection.  

As new students, alumni, faculty, and community members continue to gather in the shared space, the growing partnership between the Founder’s College and the CTS Library reflects how education can create pathways for connection, opportunity, and belonging.