The concept of service learning was instilled in Ashley Cardona as a Penn State Abington student, and now she brings it to life every day as a first-grade teacher in North Philadelphia. "When you are a teacher you touch lives," she said. "My students are the reason why I am a teacher."
Penn State Abington and its students recognize that barriers to learning can reach far beyond the schoolyard and can include food, housing, and clothing insecurity. Abington strives to knock down these barriers for its own students and is working to pay that forward through initiatives like this.
The Penn State Abington librarian expected to present his research at a conference and come home. He didn't know the trip would connect him to his childhood experiences in Vietnam.
Penn State Abington received a $20,000 grant from the Penn State Bookstore, which is operated by Barnes & Noble College, to help provide underrepresented students with access to transformative international experiences.
The Erickson Discovery Grants application is still open for students looking to secure a grant for opportunities this summer. Last year, 72 grants were awarded at $3,500 each to fund summer 2018 experiences. The deadline to apply is Monday, Jan. 21.
