Thoughts on Literacy

Phi Kappa Phi Forum, Spring 2004 by McKenzie, Wendell H

Motherhood, apple pie, baseball, and literacy. Who could possibly be against them?

Kind of a "no-brainer," actually! Particularly when it comes to literacy.

In fact, it is hard to imagine anything more central, fundamental, and germane to academic excellence across the disciplines than literacy. Learning to read, to write, to communicate, to think critically, to share ideas, to move our society forward, all depend heavily on being literate.

Nationally, Phi Kappa Phi's active interest in literacy originated at our Board of Directors and Staff strategic-planning retreat in Fall 2001. There we added a key phrase to our long-standing mission statement. To the existing statement, which read, "To recognize and promote academic excellence m all fields of higher education," we added, "and to engage the community of scholars in service to others."

Out of that retreat and expanded mission statement the Literacy Initiative was conceived. Many of our members have long been asking for opportunities to serve. What better vehicle than the promotion of literacy?

Using funds originally approved for interdisciplinary initiatives at the 2001 Convention in Indianapolis, our Board of Directors earmarked $30,000 for an initial cycle of competitive Literacy Initiative Grants. The program was announced in fall of 2002, and nearly ninety proposals were submitted. They ranged from helping minorities to learn to read well enough to pass a driver's license exam, to purchasing a new book for every newborn in the chapter's county, to reading to the elderly and blind. Seventeen of these wonderful projects were funded and are now in progress. Simply fantastic!

A gratifying benefit of this initiative has been to learn that many Phi Kappa Phi chapters and members were already active in literacy programs across the country and beyond. We salute you, thank you, and ask that you share your time-tested ideas with us. I sense that we are just scratching the surface in this exciting arena.

Needless to say, we will be presenting to the convention delegation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in August a budget that includes increased funding for the Literacy Initiative Grants program.

I could not be more proud of this responsible new venture for Phi Kappa Phi.

Wendeil H. McKenzie is National President of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.