University News

i-Pathways Provides National Hurricane Relief

November 14, 2018

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MACOMB, IL - - In the wake of Hurricane Florence's devastation on the East coast, the i-Pathways project, developed by Western Illinois University's Center for the Application of Information Technologies (CAIT), is reflecting WIU's core value of social responsibility by offering free access to programs damaged in the hurricane.

The i-Pathways team reached out to adult education state directors in South Carolina and North Carolina, and has already begun working with South Carolina programs, offering a year of free access to the i-Pathways projects for any programs affected by the hurricane and its aftermath.

"Adult education programs serve students who want to improve their academic ability in order to obtain a sustainable job, enter college or build vocational skills. Programs often reach the most vulnerable members of their communities and do so with limited supplies," said Kathy Olesen-Tracey, i-Pathways curriculum director (and instructional technology systems manager for CAIT).

CAIT not only offered help to the East coast, but also contacted programs in Puerto Rico recovering from Hurricane Maria and will also offer the same benefits to programs in Florida hit by Hurricane Michael.

"I can't think of a better way of representing Western Illinois University," said Paul Sweet, director of CAIT.

"We understand these communities have immediate needs that must be met. Our intent is to reach out to states as they begin to recover," Olesen-Tracey added.

Western Illinois University's Center for Application of Information Technologies (CAIT), comprised of several WIU alumni, expanded the i-Pathways program in 2005 as a way to provide an internet-based high school equivalency test preparation curriculum for adult education programs throughout the country. For more information about the i-Pathways project, visit i-pathways.org.

Posted By: Alisha Looney (AA-Looney@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing