The VFIC / Verizon Foundation
“Teaching with Today’s Technology" Grants

Verizon and the VFIC have embarked on a new three-year $300,000 partnership designed to enhance the education and skills of VFIC college students heading to careers in teaching K–12.

The grant program, which will support five different VFIC member colleges in each year of the program, is focused on providing VFIC college students with more exposure to the technologies and software available for K–12 teaching, such as Verizon’s notable Thinkfinity program. “Technology is the wave of the future and we know that it will play an important role in our K–12 classrooms going forward,” noted Steve Clementi, Director of External Affairs at Verizon. “We are pleased to be able to provide this grant so that teachers have the technological tools and knowledge to incorporate it into their curriculum, effectively translating it to their students. With this grant, we hope to provide limitless opportunities for these institutions.”.

Each institution presented a plan to develop or enhance a program that helps to ensure that future K–12 teachers coming out of these colleges are on the cutting edge in using the various technological applications to enhance the learning experience for their future K–12 students.  Five colleges will be selected each of the next two years to receive this award, making grants possible to all 15 VFIC colleges and universities.

In this first year’s competitive grant application process,
the five colleges selected for the major Verizon grants are:
Emory & Henry College
Lynchburg College
Randolph College
Randolph-Macon College
Shenandoah University

The Verizon Foundation is one of the our most distinguished corporate partners, contributing more than $3.5 million to the VFIC cause over the course of 56 years. Since 1998, Verizon has commited to improving student learning and faculty instructional effectiveness has made a meaningful impact on colleges across the Commonwealth.

Contact: Mary-Beth Johnson for further information