Randolph-Macon College Receives Grant to Help Close the Digital Divide

Image Courtesy of Dell Computer, Inc.

Randolph-Macon College has been awarded a $22,500 Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges/ Verizon Foundation Digital Age Initiative Grant. It will be used to provide personalized computer instruction for incoming freshmen with limited computer skills.

“This is terrific news,” said Provost William Johnston. “All students should have the same access to computers. This grant will help Randolph-Macon College bridge the gap so that all of our students succeed in the digital age.”

Beginning in fall 2008, Randolph-Macon College will identify students at a disadvantage and who would benefit from learning how technology and computer skills can be used to improve their academic coursework, engagement and performance. These students will meet regularly with faculty members in Randolph-Macon’s Higgins Academic Center. In addition, each student will be provided with a Dell Laptop computer for use during the year and be offered mentorship by student peers for two hours per week, supplementing the students’ academic enrollment in the College’s First-Year Experience curricular program. The Higgins Academic Center will work to coordinate the meetings and identify potential students for the program with help from the admissions and financial aid office. The Center currently offers tutoring and mentoring to promote academic excellence and provide academic support to all students at the College.

“The reason these students have limited computer skills is because they do not have access to a computer,” said Dr. Jenny Bruce, Director of Instruction for the Higgins Academic Center. “This Digital Age Initiative will allow us to loan them a laptop and teach them basic computer skills so they can maximize their educational experience at Randolph-Macon College.”

The competitive grant was created through a partnership with the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC) and the Verizon Foundation. It is a three-year funding program to help all 15 VFIC colleges and universities increase computer literacy to students who need the training. Each year, five of the colleges will be selected to receive the $22,500 grant. This is the first year the grant was awarded to any of the colleges.

The First-Year Experience at R-MC is an immersion program for all first-year and eligible transfer students. Courses, known as first-year colloquia, are offered in two seemingly unrelated academic disciplines and students utilize what they learn from both disciplines to solve tough topics. The program challenges students to develop creative thinking strategies and explore alternative solutions to questions. The First-Year Experience (FYE) helps develop a solid learning foundation that students will benefit from during college and beyond.