FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
(574) 284-4579 (desk)
Dec. 7, 2009 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—Saint Mary’s College’s Office for Civic and Social Engagement (OCSE) is once again partnering with Senator Richard Lugar and the Indiana State Teachers Association for their 2nd annual book drive. The drive is a statewide effort to collect books for schools, community organizations and the Reach Out and Read (ROR) program. ROR promotes literacy by providing doctors offices with books for children to take home after pediatric visits.
Saint Mary’s is one of the drop-off locations for new and gently used books for children (infants through 3rd grade). The public is invited to drop off books in marked boxes in the lobby of the Student Center or in the lobby of Reignbeaux Lounge in Le Mans Hall. The campus is closed Dec. 24-Jan. 2 for the holidays, so drop-offs can occur before or after break. For a campus map, click here.
The books collected at the College will benefit the three Title 1 South Bend schools that OCSE serves through its College Academy of Tutoring (CAT) program—Coquillard, Warren and Lincoln Primary Centers. Saint Mary’s students tutor at the schools in English, reading, and mathematics and serve as teacher assistants in English as a New Language (ENL) and Special Education classes. Books may also be dropped off in marked boxes at the schools:
o Coquillard Primary Center: 1245 N. Sheridan St., South Bend
o Warren Primary Center: 55400 Quince Road, South Bend
o Lincoln Primary Center: 1425 E. Calvert St., South Bend
“Children should have at least one book of their own to read with a tutor or at home. With the great amount of need in our community, this is not always possible. Each book that is collected will put us one step closer to achieving this goal and to helping the children of the South Bend community,” said Olivia Critchlow, assistant director of OCSE and director of CAT.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary’s College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary's College ranks among the nation's top 100 liberal arts colleges in U.S. News & World Report's 2010 annual survey. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
