Santa Clara University Receives Interfaith Health Grant
The 2024 grant supports new medical humanities courses and research into faith and mental health.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Religion — General
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Santa Clara University received an Interfaith America Faith & Health grant in 2024 to support campus initiatives. The funding helps integrate faith into professional medical education through new academic courses and research.
Why it matters
The university aims to bridge the gap between religious studies and professional medical training to better understand how spiritual practices affect wellness. This approach supports the ongoing development of the medical humanities minor.
The grant supports the university's medical humanities minor and funds curriculum development, guest speakers, and clinical research. Faculty members are using the resources to manage studies on prayer reflection and mental health.
The players
Thomas Plante
He is a faculty member leading a clinical study on the intersection of prayer reflection and mental health outcomes.
Santa Clara University
This private Jesuit university is located in California and is currently expanding its medical and theological academic programs.
The details
Researchers like Thomas Plante are utilizing these funds to conduct a study on prayer reflection and mental health, which includes a testing site at a treatment facility in Mexico. Additionally, the university is preparing for the future opening of the Mark and Mary Stevens School of Medicine.
Timeline
Santa Clara University received the grant in 2024.
The university will host a viewing of The Chaplain and the Doctor on October 20, 2026.
Culture Shift
The integration of theology into medical education marks a broader shift toward holistic health models that recognize spiritual well-being as a factor in patient outcomes. This trend moves away from strictly secular training toward a more comprehensive approach to medical humanities.
Students and faculty at Santa Clara University will see direct benefits through new medical humanities courses and increased opportunities for guest speaker events. These initiatives provide the local community with academic resources that connect professional clinical research with faith-based practice.
The takeaway
Understanding the intersection of faith and health can improve how future medical professionals treat mental well-being in clinical settings. Academic institutions continue to leverage these multidisciplinary grants to bridge the gap between abstract theology and hands-on medical care.
What happens next
The university is scheduled to host a public viewing of the film The Chaplain and the Doctor on October 20, 2026.
Further reading
For more information on spiritual programs in higher education, visit the Religion — General section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Santa Clara.
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