The Office of Community Engaged Learning (OCEL), led by Elizabeth Cannon, Director of OCEL, received a Community Fund Grant from United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region to support the Vassar English Language Learners Outreach Program (VELLOP).

VELLOP is a program that provides tutoring and literacy support to English as a New Language (ENL) students across the Poughkeepsie City School District. By partnering with teachers in supporting the students in your classrooms, its work focuses on building early English language literacy, fostering multilingualism and multiculturalism, supporting middle and high school readiness, and offering academic and social support for newcomer students. And by working alongside individual teachers, VELLOP creates more inclusive classrooms where multilingual students can thrive academically and socially.

With the retirement of John Bradley, Executive Director of VEC, the Vassar Education Collaboration (VEC) is now a core program of the Office of Community-Engaged Learning, led by Elizabth Cannon. In addition to VELLOP, VEC also includes the EC (Exploring College) Program and the VAST (Vassar After School Tutoring) Program.