
Faculty Resources
Engage with Philadelphia!
The Tri-Co Philly Program provides resources for faculty and their students to engage with Philadelphia in two ways:
- For faculty interested in connecting their courses with Philadelphia, the program offers Philadelphia Engagement Grants of up to $1,500. These funds are designed to enrich the curricular content of an on-campus class by facilitating student experiences in the city. Experiences can range from a one-time experience and travel, e.g. a play; a visit to a research lab; a visit to a neighborhood or organization; admission to a museum or archive, to more sustained engagement with the city, such as multiple visits to the city or collaboration with an organization. These activities have to happen in Philadelphia.
There are two calls per academic year. For the fall semester, the Philadelphia Engagement Grant application is available in early July and due in early August, with awards made before the start of the fall semester. For the spring semester, Philadelphia Engagement Grant application is available in early December and due in early January, with awards made before the start of the spring semester. Faculty with questions about the application grant or a proposed activity can reach out to Calista Cleary.
- Through the Tri-Co Philly Program, faculty also teach urban-focused, experiential classes, once a week, in Philadelphia for a cohort of Tri-Co students.

Philadelphia Engagement Grant Application
The application for Fall 2025 Philadelphia Engagement Grants is now available. The deadline to apply is:
Friday, August 8, by 11:59 pm.
Connect with Calista

Calista Cleary - Tri-Co Philly Program Director
Schedule an appointment to discuss course proposals for the Tri-Co Philly program.
Tri-Co Philly Engagement Grant Activities 2024-2025
Frequently Asked Questions
Faculty interested in teaching a class in Philadelphia should contact Calista Cleary to discuss course proposals for the Tri-Co Philly Program. Each November a call goes out via email to faculty (due December) to solicit Tri-Co Philly courses for the following academic year. The call requests a 1-2 page proposal to Calista Cleary that includes a course description and outlines how the class will engage with Philadelphia (interactions with local organizations, sites, speakers, etc.). If you'd like to discuss a possible course or have questions, contact Calista Cleary.
Classes are taught at the Friends Center to support regular interactions with the city.
Each semester, three Tri-Co faculty offer courses in the program.
For more information regarding grants or curricular ideas, contact Tri-Co Philly Program Director Calista Cleary.
Philadelphia Engagement Grants
Grants are designed to enrich the curricular content of an on-campus class by facilitating student experiences in the city of Philadelphia. Grants are up to $1,500. Grants are awarded twice during the academic year, prior to the fall semester and prior to the spring semester. The grant application goes via email to the faculty and is linked (below) on our website.
The application for the fall semester is available in early July and due in early August and the spring application is available in early December and due in early January. Awards are made about a week before the start of the respective semester.
Contact Calista Cleary with your questions.
Connect with Tri-Co Philly on Instagram

Contact Us
Tri-Co Philly
Calista Cleary
Tri-Co Philly Program Director
610-795-1576
ccleary@brynmawr.edu