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Connecticut College awarded $25,000 Rands Foundation grant for mentorship and outreach programs

Connecticut College's Office of Volunteers for Community Service has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Rands Foundation to support programs that teach college students to be active citizens and contribute to positive change in the greater New London community. The Office of Volunteers for Community Service (OVCS) works with students, staff, faculty and local partners to facilitate community engagement and learning opportunities.

Each year, more than 500 Connecticut College students participate in community learning, service projects and outreach programs. They work with a wide range of community members and professionals in the areas of education, health and wellness, economic development, the environment and the arts. The Rands Foundation grant will be used to enhance three types of OVCS outreach programs: tutorial programs, mentorship programs and Project Kids, Books and Athletics, which promotes reading and physical fitness among children in the New London area.

"This grant supports the institution's commitment to community engagement and will enhance our students' education to facilitate positive change within the community," Tracee Reiser, associate dean for community learning and director of OVCS, said. "These opportunities advance student learning and help to build a healthy, multicultural, democratic and more just society." The Rands Foundation was founded by Amelia Roberts-Rands, a 1973 Connecticut College graduate, and her husband, Robert Rands, to support programs and organizations that effect social change. 



August 17, 2011