What is the Pen Pal Program?

The Pen Pal Program is a partnership between the Center for Diversity & Enrichment and four Iowa grade schools in Cedar Rapids, West Liberty, Sioux City, and Waterloo. Some of the goals of the Pen Pal Program include:

• providing grade school students with positive role models
• promoting positive self-esteem for grade school students
• increasing grade school students' motivation for academic success and interest in college
• developing and practicing writing skills of grade school students
• providing all program participants with a greater understanding and appreciation of diversity
• helping The University of Iowa become more responsive to the needs of the Pen Pal participant communities

What are the benefits in participating?

Your dedicated commitment to volunteering with the Pen Pal Program will have many benefits, such as:

• making a valuable contribution to a student's learning
• Counting toward the 10,000 Hours Show. To learn more about this opportunity and to register your hours, follow this link: http://www.uiowa.edu/~tenk/GetStarted/.
• being included with the registered volunteer opportunity in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Corridor

What do I do in order to become a volunteer?

If you are a registered student at The University of Iowa, you can volunteer to participate in one of these partnerships by completing the Information Sheet. Data from your Information Sheet will be used to match you with an elementary student from one of the four sites listed above.

What will I do after being matched with a student?

After being matched with an elementary school student, you will write a letter to the student five times during the academic year. There also will be an opportunity to meet the student in person when the pen pal group visits The University of Iowa campus.