The Equal Access to Education Service Corps program strives to understand the issues affecting access to education at all ages in the Fox Cities. Our mission is to provide opportunities for Lawrentians and the greater Fox Cities to work together in combating matters that hinder access to education. Currently, we hold partnerships with the Appleton and Kaukauna Area School Districts and the Fox Valley Literacy Council.
The VITAL program is a free service provided by Lawrence University that matches K-12 grade students from Appleton schools with the greatest academic need to Lawrence student volunteer tutors. A background check is required of all volunteers. Tutors are required to meet with their tutees at least once a week for 30 minutes. Currently, this program is operating remotely using Google Meets and Zoom.
Volunteer hours are submitted to the tutor’s academic record and can fulfill various organization requirements. Through individual tutor-tutee relationships, VITAL is committed to encouraging all students to persevere in their studies and have confidence in their work. The VITAL program also greatly benefits participating tutors as they learn to express clearly and communicate effectively with their tutees.
First of Many is a mentorship program that matches first-generation college students at Lawrence University with potential first-generation students at Kaukauna High School. A background check is required of all volunteers. Through this 10-week program, matches meet virtually once per week for roughly 30-60 minutes to discuss topics including the FAFSA, college applications, and scholarships.
Volunteer hours are submitted to the mentor’s academic record and can fulfill various organization requirements. Through mentorship, the First of Many program seeks to identify and reduce barriers for first-generation students by providing them with support and resources. Apply here.
Kenneth Penaherrera '24
Participating in the First of Many Program enabled us to provide students with all sorts of tools regarding college applications. Given that many of us never received these resources, enabling students like us is inspirational and motivating!
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Shaun Brown '21
There's so much I can say about my experience as a mentor for First of Many, but I do want to highlight the pure joy I had in assisting another future fellow first-generation college student with the entire college process from describing how to choose the best school for them, college application process, finding on-campus and outside scholarships and so much more. Even assisting in researching things that are important during their college years like does the school offer resources, programs, and organizations for first-generation students?
I was fortunate enough to be in a program that assisted me as a first-generation college student from before the start of college until the end. I loved the opportunity I had to give that back to another person who didn't have that assistance. Even if it was only for a short while, having someone to help you through that process meant a lot to me and hopefully my mentee as well.
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Amellalli Herrera Alvarez '22
My experience as a mentor was incredible. I loved being able to meet with my mentee once a week and go over various elements of the college application process, ranging from how to determine what colleges might be a good fit to figuring out financial aid and FAFSA. When we weren’t discussing the college application process, my mentee and I were able to talk about how their classes and extracurricular activities were going, which allowed me to develop a meaningful connection with them. As the term progressed, they felt more comfortable asking some of the harder questions that most first-generation students struggle to find answers to, such as how to deal with imposter syndrome and how to balance your workload and social life. Through my experience as a mentor, I was able to give an individual the resources and help they needed to succeed — the same resources I wish I had had when I was a junior thinking about college and the years to come.
Fox Valley Literacy provides both Adult Basic Education and English Language Learning through trained volunteer tutors who teach adult learners one-on-one. The Fox Valley Literacy Council shares the power of learning to transform lives and enrich the community. Improving literacy skills empower individuals to be better employees, parents, and community members.
You don’t have to have teaching experience or know a foreign language to volunteer through this program. The 14-hour training program is designed for anyone. Interested volunteers should complete these steps to begin.
AASD takes pride in providing high-quality tutoring programs: United for Reading Success and Math Achievement Partnership. Both programs align well with what is being taught in the classroom, resulting in enhanced student learning by utilized best practices for how kids learn.
Volunteers model the joy of reading and math while supporting the child’s efforts to read and complete math problems independently. Through AASD, volunteers tutor a child in math or reading for up to five 30-minute sessions each week.
Interested and want to get involved today? Contact Molly Ruffing at community.engagement@lawrence.edu for more information!
