Partnership with Freeport School District
PLATTEVILLE-The University of Wisconsin-Platteville School of Education and Multicultural Services received funding from the UWP Foundation Opportunity Fund in support of Plan 2008 and a three-pronged partnership with Freeport School District, located in Freeport, Ill. The purpose of the project is to increase recruitment of students of color, specifically Latino, Latina, and African-American students.
According to the proposal, the project will include visits by UWP faculty and students to the Freeport School District (FSD). Students will perform their service learning projects of Teaching 3630 Ethnic/Gender Equity in Education. The Department of Public Instruction standards require 35 hours working with diverse populations.
"This will give students a chance to experience diversity that they don't get to see on an everyday basis," said Carlos Wiley, UWP director of Multicultural Services.
The proposal also states that the students will be immersed into an urban, ethnically diverse culture by living in Freeport for a minimum of one week. FSD students will travel to UWP to experience a tour of campus.
"It's a whole new way of learning," said Rea Kirk, UWP professor of education. "The comfort levels when dealing with people who are diverse will expand."
The overall goal is to create more comfortable emotional levels for FSD students of color to come to UWP and for UWP students to be in an urban multicultural environment.
"Without the Opportunity Fund Grant, we wouldn't be able to do this project to this extent. We are grateful for the funds and will be able to adhere to Plan 2008 in a meaningful way," said Kirk.
The UWP Foundation Opportunity Fund awarded more than $43,000 for 17 grants this year. Since its inception in 1988, the opportunity fund has offered a total of $454,000 through 103 grants.
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