May 8, 1998

Soup & Substance celebrates literacy center

Students, faculty, and staff learned more about the Lindy Boggs National Center for Community Literacy at Soup & Substance, a special lunch forum sponsored by the University Partners Committee and Campus Ministry/LUCAP.

Margaret Dermody, Ph.D., from the Department of Education reported on illiteracy on the national, state, and local levels. Angela St. Hill, New Orleans Area Literacy Coalition, explained attempts to address the problem locally. Assistant Provost Lydia Voigt, Ph.D., spoke about the Boggs Center mission. The center will function as a clearinghouse of information and is one of three national centers located on a college campus. It will strive for the three Rs of literacy: research, reach out, and resources.

Following the presentation, Al Alcazar, associate campus minister/LUCAP, and Kevin Casey, president of Student Government Association, facilitated a discussion and urged all to be involved. About 80 individuals attended.

Laurie Joyner, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Sociology, is chair of the University Partners Committee which is exploring ways to involve the entire university community in a united literacy effort.

–Julia McSherry, Director of Publications