Penn State Brandywine has received a $4,500 grant from Verizon’s "Check Into Literacy" initiative for its Literary Launch program. Students in the Schreyer Honors College at the campus initiated and designed the program.
The grant from Verizon will assist honors scholars with the purchase of research literacy books. The students will engage in discussions about the books’ social and cultural issues and interact on the Literary Launch blog. All junior honors scholars are required to conduct thesis work based on additional books that must be purchased.
The "Check Into Literacy" initiative allows Verizon’s landline telephone customers to indicate on their monthly phone bills that they wish to make a $1 tax-deductable donation to promote literacy. Verizon distributes these donations to local literacy groups, including public libraries, school districts and universities.
“A dollar a month may not seem like much, but it can go a long way toward improving literacy skills in local communities and giving people the opportunity to succeed,” said Douglas R. Smith, vice president of external affairs, Verizon Pennsylvania. “We are delighted that Penn State Brandywine will benefit by the generosity of our customers.”
The Penn State Brandywine program was designed by honors students themselves as a springboard to launch group conversation and learning. Having had a requirement to read one book per year, the students requested that an additional book be added.
Laura Guertin, associate professor of earth sciences and campus Schreyer Honors College coordinator said, “Providing textbooks to our honors students will enhance our learning environment and we are grateful to Verizon for providing this support.”