When most college students hear the word "books," their first thought is how much they will have to spend to buy their course materials. But with the S.A.G.E. book drive, students don't have to spend a dime, making their books priceless.
This event is a chance for UB's students and faculty to donate books to other students who are in need of new reading material.
The materials that are donated to the book drive will be given to two low-income schools that need new books for their students. The first is Kilby Elementary in Woodbridge, Va., and the second is Escuela Segunda Unidad Adelaida Vega in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico.
The book drive is presented by the Intercultural and Diversity Center's (IDC) S.A.G.E. interns as part of their community service. S.A.G.E., Success through Access to Guidance and Experience, is a program where students who have overcome adversity can participate in paid internships and gain valuable experience in the career paths that they are interested in. The interns are holding the book drive on behalf of the "Get Used to Read" program centered in Virginia, which works to increase reading in schools that need it around the world.
"Our coordinator was contacted by a friend who is involved in ‘Get Used to Read,'" said Elizabeth Smith, a second-year graduate student and the graduate assistant for student programming in the Intercultural and Diversity Center. "So we were contacted directly by the program."
Books in both English and Spanish are being accepted, in new or gently used condition. The English books should be elementary school-appropriate and will be sent to Kilby Elementary. Books in Spanish are needed that are suitable for students at the middle or high school level, and those books will go to the school in Puerto Rico.
"We would really appreciate books, because we haven't really had many so far," Smith said. "Any donations would be welcome."
Students can donate by dropping their books off at the front desk of the IDC, which is located at 240 Student Union. The book drive began on April 3 and will be running until Friday.
Another way that people can help out is by purchasing raffle tickets at the IDC for a chance to win some prizes while donating to a good cause. There are several prizes for participants to win, including a GMAT book, a basket stocked with goodies like candy and chocolate, and $50 in campus cash. Three raffle tickets cost $1.
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