TO THE EDITOR:
I’ve had the blessing of being a member of the Connected Learning Program, and it’s been a wonderful way to renew and deepen my passions and to discover new ones.
I’m serving on the “Redefining Homelessness” project team, which has led me to countless opportunities that link our campus and community.
Through this program, I’ve been tutoring homeless men at the Durham Rescue Mission every Friday evening to help them prepare for their GED exams.
While I regret to have heard the news in early December about the program’s funding elimination, a few months ago I reached out to the Department of Housing and Residential Education as well as the Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence to share an idea that could keep this opportunity alive — a student-run version of the Connected Learning Program, which would curb administrative expenses.
While this innovation would have its challenges, it would continue a program that bonds students in a unique way — it offers a network of friends and scholars from day one at Carolina who share a passion to improve the world around us.
I believe it is possible to sustain the Connected Learning Program in the face of financial pressures.
Duke University offers a similar model, the selective living group, in which students pursue a shared goal, whether it’s academic or extracurricular.
To finance programs like this, selective living groups charge membership dues. I feel that this structure can be adapted for the Connected Learning Program so that this opportunity can benefit students for years to come.
