The contribution from AT&T will help support students within the school’s Wayfinder program, which offers eight free college credits to adults facing social or economic barriers to higher education.
The initiative is open to adults specifically in Grand Rapids’ 49507 zip code - an area of the city that hasn’t historically seen the same level of investment as other portions of Grand Rapids.
According to the university, nearly 90% of Wayfinder applicants previously reported they lacked the necessary technology to complete their coursework at Calvin. A similar percentage of students expressed concern with their digital literacy skills.
The state of Michigan estimates approximately 213,000 households do not have access to high-speed internet.
Former President Joe Biden’s “Internet for All” initiative found that approximately 9% of Michigan households did not have access to a device with internet capabilities, and 11% didn’t have a device or internet access.
Calvin University President Greg Elzinga said the ability to provide laptops to high-need students is a “critical step toward bridging the digital divide and ensuring that every student, regardless of their circumstances, has the tools they need to succeed.”
The $50,000 will also fund educational software for students, along with digital literacy training.
The Wayfinder program was created by Calvin in the summer of 2024. It was intended to engage Grand Rapids’ neighborhoods of Alger Heights, Baxter, Burton Heights, Garfield Park, Madison Square, Oakdale, Roosevelt Park, Southeast End, King Park and South East Community.
After holding focus groups and conducting a resident survey, the university created the program to offer college courses inspired by a New York initiative offering free humanities education to low-income adults.
Applications for the next Wayfinder cohort will be accepted soon.
The funding for laptops and digital literacy training is part of $5 billion committed by AT&T to help address the digital divide, with a goal of connecting 25 million people to high-speed internet by 2030.
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