SPOTLIGHT

Larine Y. Cowan
Make a Difference Award

The Larine Y. Cowan Make a Difference Award was presented to ESLARP Director Laura Lawson and FAA Dean Robert Graves earlier this month during the 24th Annual Celebration of Diversity breakfast on November 11, held at the I Hotel. Presenting the award to ESLARP was Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Robert Easter, and Menah Pratt-Clarke, Interim Assistant Chancellor and Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access.

 ESLARP in Action Blog

Community Information and Technology

The Digital ESL Collaborative sees digital technology as a means for empowering all East St. Louis metro area residents to build and sustain a healthy, livable community. Graduate students and faculty from Prairienet/Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) have narrowed the “digital divide” by providing computer workstations and training at over twenty locations in and around East St. Louis. GSLIS students develop more and more public access computer labs and the Digital ESL Collaborative continues to distribute more used computers to the homes of low-income families, the need for hardware repair will increase.  Team Tech is designed to address the technology literacy needs of youth in East St. Louis (metro east area) Illinois. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is currently developing a partnership with the West African nation of São Tomé that is growing in scope. GSLIS students and faculty have installed computer labs in locations including: The National Library, Regional libraries, Schools, and other community centers on the island.  In addition, students tested a wireless protocol to connect remote locations. Future projects will include work with the national archives and English books.

Examples of Past and Present Projects:

•    DIGITAL ESL Collaborative
•    Teen Tech Team
•    Sao Tome
•    Map of Community Technology Centers in ESL