Baxter, Drake Named Lilly Faculty Fellows in Competitive National Program

February 2, 2026

OBU faculty members Ben Baxter, chair of the division of communication arts and of the division of art and design, and Dr. Nathan Drake, professor of mathematics, have been selected for Lilly Faculty Fellowships, a highly competitive national program of the Lilly Network of Church-Related Colleges and Universities.

Baxter and Drake were one of six teams selected from the 26 that applied nationwide. The Lilly Faculty Fellowship program is a two-year initiative designed to help faculty deepen their sense of vocation, integrate faith and learning and strengthen their leadership within church-related institutions.

As Lilly Faculty Fellows, Baxter and Drake will participate in four national conferences and receive $8,000 in start-up funding to launch a faculty development project on OBU’s campus. In addition, each fellow will receive a $4,000 award recognizing their participation in the program.

University leaders note that the fellowship brings significant benefits not only to the selected faculty members but to the broader OBU community.

“Through campus-based programming and shared learning, the fellowship will support faculty development, encourage vocational reflection and further integrate OBU’s Christ-centered mission across academic disciplines,” said Dr. Elizabeth Justice, associate dean for faculty development.

Founded in 1991, the Lilly Network of Church-Related Colleges and Universities (formerly the Lilly Fellows program) seeks to strengthen the quality and shape the character of church-related institutions of higher learning through a variety of fellowships and regranting efforts. The Lilly Network is based at Christ College, the interdisciplinary honors college of Valparaiso University in Northwest Indiana and is sustained by the generous support of Lilly Endowment Inc.

The Lilly Faculty Fellowship program affirms OBU’s commitment to cultivating faculty who lead with excellence, purpose and faith, while investing in initiatives that enrich teaching, mentoring and student formation.

The selection of Baxter and Drake as Lilly Faculty Fellows reflects OBU’s commitment to rigorous academics grounded in a faith-forward education. By encouraging faculty to pursue excellence in teaching, scholarship and vocational calling while intentionally integrating faith and learning, the fellowship embodies OBU’s mission to prepare students intellectually and spiritually for lives of purpose, leadership and service.