Campus Happenings

How One Concorde Campus Turned a “Little” Idea into Something Bigger

Concorde Staff

Concorde Staff

Share:
Updated December 17, 2015. The information contained in this blog is current and accurate as of this date.
concorde-campus

"If you can dream it, you can do it." - Walt Disney

The first chapter in this story begins starts the latter half of 2013 when Teresa Collins, Learning Resource Center Coordinator for Concorde Career Institute's Tampa campus, was participating in a professional development webinar.

During the training session, the concept of Little Free Libraries were presented as a way to build community goodwill. Teresa was intrigued.

 

THE BEGINNING OF A MOVEMENT

 

The Little Free Library has been gaining moment across the U.S. since 2009, when Todd Bol of Hudson, Wis., built a model of a one-room schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother, a former school teacher who loved reading.

He filled it with books and put it on a post in his front yard. Folks from his neighborhood would take a book and replace it with one that the wanted to donate. The idea caught like wildfire!

But Collins didn't know of any these "take a book, return a book" exchanges in her community.

Collins thought the "Little Free Library" concept would make a great service project for Concorde and when she shared her idea with Kathy Tillinghast, academic dean for the Concorde campus in Tampa.

She gave Collins the green light to approach the Tampa Parks and Recreation Department with the idea of donating three "Little Free Libraries" filled with books for all ages. The plan was for Concorde to donate the libraries and the books and Parks and Recreation would maintain them.

 

FANNING THE FLAMES

 

As with all good things, it took some time for Concorde to gain approval, but Collins and the Tampa campus didn't rest until their idea was complete!

When they thought about the funding to build the libraries and buying books, they didn't have to look far beyond the folks on campus.

Generous Concorde students and staff paid $1 a day during the course of a campaign: Wear jeans to promote literacy. They raised nearly $400 in just one week! Not long after, Concorde Tampa's first Little Free Library became a reality on March 12.

 

WHO KNOWS HOW BIG IT WILL GET

 

This week, Concorde Tampa's second Little Free Library was unveiled and installed at the Seminole Heights Garden Center.

Collins wasn't the only one who got involved. Nicole Lambert, Surgical Technology Program Director at Concorde Tampa, put her skills to use and helped to build the new library, which features actual asphalt roofing and can hold two dozen books.

As for Collins, she humbly shares the spotlight with some many who helped fill a void in the community.

"I'm sure that like-minded individuals probably asked the same questions that I did when they heard about the Little Free Libraries," she said. "They, too, took a proactive approach and now there are libraries popping up all over our community."

Concorde Tampa will donate its third Little Free Library to the Tampa community in 2016. Be inspired, fellow readers, it only takes a spark to get a fire going!

Curious about joining the growing community of students seeking education focused on helping others? Click the banner below to learn more today!

Take The Next Step Towards a Brighter Future

We have a Concorde representative ready to talk about what matters most to you. Get answers about start dates, curriculum, financial aid, scholarships and more!

  1. Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.

  2. Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.

  3. Financial aid is available to those who qualify but may not be available for all programs. Concorde does not guarantee financial aid or scholarship awards or amounts.

  4. Clinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.

  5. Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.

  6. Externships are a non-paid in-person learning experience, whose length and location may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee externship placement, graduation, post-externship employment or salary outcomes.