Students in this GED class studied math, science and writing with their instructor in preparation for summer testing.

The growth of the program also coincided with a campaign initiated by front line employees to bargain for an increase in pay that became known as “the Living Wage Initiative.” A unique partnership between university undergraduates and the workers developed and the initiative received a great deal of media attention. The university showcased the Bridge Program in an effort to demonstrate its commitment to frontline employees, and eventually agreed to workers demands for a living wage. By the fall of 2002 the program was serving 442 workers. An additional 38 workers who could not attend classes were also working with tutors on their own time.

The impact that these classes have made on learners has been profound and has impressed many high level University officials, including the office of the president. After just two semesters of literacy instruction, students in the faculty club who had previously been unable to read notes left by guests (e.g., requests for new towels, a need for a new light bulb) were bringing them to class proudly demonstrating their ability to read them. In the past, workers would bring these notes to their supervisor for translation.

How the Program Works

All students interested in the Bridge Program are assessed by completing a short registration form to determine their basic reading, writing and speaking skills. Those with higher-level skills register for classes at the Harvard Division of Continuing Education’s Extension School in their Institute for English Language Programs (IEL). Students who do not have the literacy level to succeed in the Extension School’s IEL academic ESOL classes are placed or wait-listed for space in one of the Bridge Program’s classes. Regardless of whether the learner attends classes at the Bridge or at IEL, they receive four semesters (two years) of paid release time to attend classes free of charge. Semesters are sixteen weeks long and students attend classes for four hours/week.