Addressing the Digital Divide

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, Calvin University received a $50,000 contribution from AT&T that is helping to bridge the digital divide for students in the university’s recently launched Wayfinder Program.

Nearly 90 percent of applicants to the program, which serves Grand Rapids-area adults facing social or economic barriers to higher education, reported they lacked the necessary technology for the course, with a similar percentage expressing concerns about their digital literacy skills.

“Today we are thrilled to announce a partnership that addresses these gaps and paves the road to success,” said Greg Elzinga, president of Calvin University, during an event celebrating the partnership. “Thanks to a $50,000 contribution from AT&T, we are taking a major step forward to bridging that digital divide that so often limits higher education.”

The funds from AT&T are being used to provide laptops, educational software, and essential digital literacy support to ensure that every Wayfinder student has the tools they need to succeed not just while they’re in the program but also afterward.

“The Wayfinder program will open new doors of opportunities for adults in need in Grand Rapids, and we are very proud to support the Wayfinder Program with our $50,000 AT&T contribution,” said Tim Weststrate , director of external affairs for AT&T Michigan. “We know that when we connect people to the internet, we are connecting them to greater possibilities.”

AT&T’s financial support adds another significant layer to the support the Wayfinder Program offers students. In addition to free tuition, students in the program also have access to complimentary on-site childcare, an evening meal on class nights, and preloaded bus passes.

“It was like I was in a world full of so many opportunities, but I didn’t have the key to open the doors to those opportunities,” said Lexie Zuno, a student in Calvin’s inaugural cohort of the Wayfinder Program. “Those doors are open now, and I can now pick what I want.”