The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, today announced its 2019 Literacy Grant recipients. The grants of up to $2,500 were awarded to 13 Phi Kappa Phi members across the nation.

The Literacy Grant Program, established in 2003, is part of the Society’s robust award programs, which give nearly $1 million each year to outstanding students and members through study abroad grants, graduate fellowships, funding for post-baccalaureate development and member and chapter awards. Drawing from a multidisciplinary society of students and scholars from large and small institutions, the grants help fund projects ranging from traditional reading initiatives to those fostering learning in cultural, digital, financial, health, historical literacy and beyond.

The 2019 recipients and their respective projects are:

• Renee Bogschutz, Interprofessional Toy Fair and Expo
• Lesley Casarez, Rebels Excel at SEL
• Veronica Morgan Collins, Maintaining K-2 Reading Levels over Summer Break
• Laura Efford, Reach Them to Teach Them
• Paulette Harris, Free Keys to Read: Books & Plays
• Danielle Hartsfield, Improving Literacy Instruction Through a Professional Learning Community
• Mollie Hartup, Oh the Places You Will Go with the YSU Pen Pals Project
• Tyler Leng, Improving Health Literacy and Safety through Infographic Fact Cards for Underserved Populations
• Melissa Rae McCutcheon, Third Coast Science for You - Popular Science Magazine Outreach Initiative
• Marla K. Robertson, Davis Dives into Books
• Liberatus J. Rwebugisa, The Student Success Center Project: Helping Every Child Succeed
• Muthukrishnan Sathyamoorthy, Project "Born to Read"
• Frederica Zanet Wilhelm, SoJust: A Zine on Social Justice Literacy

“We use the term ‘Beyond Books’ to expand the definition of literacy as about more than reading alone,” said Society Executive Director Dr. Mary Todd, “so we are again pleased to see a broad diversity in the projects awarded 2019 Literacy Grants. Phi Kappa Phi members’ love of learning is very evident in each.”

The winning literacy projects were selected for a grant based on a number of criteria including the project’s scope, student and community involvement, impact, duration and ability to achieve success.

To learn more about the award, please visit www.phikappaphi.org/literacy. To learn more about this year’s recipients and projects, please click here.