Digital Connectivity Grant Provides Laptops for Students and the Community

SPC was recently awarded a $258,735 grant from the Florida Department of Commerce for the Digital Connectivity Technology Program.

The intent of the program is to help close the digital divide in underserved Florida communities by providing laptops, tablets and internet access for households and multi-purpose community facilities.

“Many people are in a financial situation where they are focused on their basic needs like food and housing, and a laptop purchase may not be an option,” said Shanya Turner, SPC Executive Director of Retention Services.

The grant will support the purchase of 300 laptop computers for SPC’s laptop lending program, as well as for the community through partnerships.

Since the pandemic, SPC’s laptop lending program has dramatically expanded as more and more students are needing technology to access coursework and online classes. Laptop lending provides the necessary technology for students who otherwise may not be able to access and complete assignments online.

“While SPC offers student work areas and library computers, students may have other barriers such as available transportation, travel time to campus, work schedules and family obligations, that may prevent them from getting to campus,” said Turner.

She says that the College’s lending laptops are usually all checked out. As more students are taking advantage of the program, more laptops are sorely needed.

“Students are so thankful, they tell us they don’t know what they would’ve done without it,” said Turner. “If we can provide them with a computer, that alleviates some of their stress and they can focus more on their academic success.”

The grant will also provide laptops to the community through the public library at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs campus and through a partnership with the St. Pete Innovation District and the Digital Inclusion Project.

“This Digital Connectivity grant will expand our ‘Gadgets for Good’ initiative, which was launched in 2016 with our partner eSmart Recycling to collect various electronic donations for people who need access to technology,” said Chad Mairn, Assistant Professor with SPC’s Humanities and Fine Arts department. “It will be exciting to see how this grant will help broaden our impact while we work to continue bridging the digital divide in our community.”

Providing laptops for community members helps individuals access resources like government services, healthcare websites, support networks, job searches and training.

SPC’s laptop lending program is part of its Titans Care services which includes basic needs support from food banks to mental health counseling. These services offer out-of-classroom support to increase students’ academic success.

For more information about SPC’s laptop lending and other support services available through SPC’s Titans Care Centers, visit the Titans Care webpage.