In celebration of its 15th anniversary, the Kit and Dick Schmoker Reading Center, located in the Barkley Memorial Center on East Campus, is hosting an open house for the public from 3-5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3.

A one-of-a-kind program in Nebraska, the Kit and Dick Schmoker Reading Center provides reading and writing tutoring to children in the community who are currently or at risk for reading below grade level. Tutoring is provided by Husker graduate and undergraduate students in the College of Education and Human Sciences, under the direction of University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty and certified teachers.

The open house will provide community members the opportunity to tour the Schmoker Reading Center and learn more about the variety of individualized instruction utilized during tutoring. Remarks will be at 3:15 p.m. and light refreshments will be available.

The Schmoker Reading Center was established as an educational site focused on practical experiences for pre-service and in-service teachers in CEHS in the use of effective instructional approaches for improving the literacy skills of children and their families. To complement this mission, the Reading Center engages in research and outreach activities aimed at improving knowledge of evidence-based practices in literacy and extending knowledge of effective literacy practices to UNL students, families and the broader community.

The Reading Center serves children in kindergarten through middle school during three semesters (fall, spring, summer) throughout the year. On average, around 65 Husker students provide tutoring in the Schmoker Reading Center each semester, and they report this experience as one of their most valued teacher preparation activities. In the fall 2023 session, 83 Husker students from four different certification programs are currently tutoring 83 children.

Richard “Dick” Schmoker graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 1962 and the College of Law in 1964. Catherine “Kit” (Stuart) Schmoker graduated from CEHS in 1964. After marrying in Lincoln in 1963, they moved to Edina, Minnesota. Dick died on April 3, 2022, at age 81.

In addition to their generous support of the Kit and Dick Schmoker Reading Center, the Schmokers have provided philanthropic support to the College of Law, including funding for faculty, educational facilities and the endowed Richard C. and Catherine Stuart Schmoker Professorship. They also provided a major gift toward construction of the Adele Coryell Hall Learning Commons, and most recently established the Catherine and Richard C. Schmoker Presidential Chair in Systems Engineering.

Learn more about the Kit and Dick Schmoker Reading Center at https://cehs.unl.edu/readingcenter/.