Wiley College News October 7, 2022 Wiley College is pleased to announce that it has received a $50,000 grant from the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church to support the institution's alternative spring break component of the Sacred Pause Program. The Sacred Pause began in the 2021 academic year as a collective experience for all Wiley College faculty, staff, and students to rest, reflect, and renew. The Sacred Pause Program is now part of the Wiley College experience and will add an opportunity to engage the students in carrying out the College's mission as social good ambassadors through this program. Alfred Street Baptist Church, located in Alexandria, Virginia, is a historic Black Baptist congregation who has provided over $1,079,287 to over 70 community-based and national organizations as part of their Tithe-the-Tithe initiative. As Wiley College celebrates its 150th anniversary, the $50,000 gift will support the new component of the College's Sacred Pause Program, by providing funding for service-learning projects that will occur beginning March 2023. Reverend Dr. Cecil Duffie, Dean of the Chapel at Wiley College, described the anticipated impact of this gift, "Each alternative spring break supported through this gift will take an interfaith approach to tackling/addressing issues within our communities. Students will identify a community they wish to partner with, the topic they want to explore through their community's view and develop with their community partner the best way they can generate awareness and impact while they are onsite. We hope these partnerships will take students to communities across the country so there can be awareness, mutual learning, and impact on the issues that our communities are facing." Wiley College is excited to structure a program of interfaith trips that highlight and lift religious identity and diversity as its focus. Given Wiley College's commitment to increasing student leadership skills, the service-learning program at Wiley College is intentional in its purpose of exposing students to various faith traditions and increasing mutual respect. Dr. Tashia Bradley, Chief Operating Officer, shared, "We are excitedly preparing for the College's 2023 Sacred Pause Program activities, and are grateful for this important gift in supporting students in their alternative spring break endeavor. Alfred Street Baptist Church's generosity helps to ensure the College is able to promote its Bold and Audacious Vision as described by our President & CEO, Dr. Herman J. Felton, Jr. For more information about Wiley College's Sacred Pause Alternative Spring Break activities, please contact Ms. Jasmine Farmer, jfarmer@wileyc.edu<mailto:jfarmer@wileyc.edu>. ______________________________________________________________________________ About Alfred Street Baptist Church Established in 1803, Alfred Street Baptist Church is home to one of the oldest and largest African American congregations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. It has served as a prominent religious, educational, and cultural center in the Northern Virginia community. Currently under the esteemed leadership of Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, Alfred Street Baptist Church has over 10,000 members. For more information, visit alfredstreet.org<https://www.alfredstreet.org/>. About Wiley College Founded in 1873 in Marshall, Texas, Wiley College is a historically Black, liberal arts, residential, co-educational, baccalaureate degree-granting institution affiliated with The United Methodist Church. Committed to the principle of educational access, the College serves traditional and non-traditional students from diverse backgrounds who have expressed a desire and potential for learning in a Christian environment. Home of "The Great Debaters," Wiley College has an intentional focus on social good and leadership, and its motto is "Go forth Inspired." LaTasha Denard Executive Assistant HBCU Library Alliance (678) 210-5801 ext. 102 http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> ldenard@hbculibraries.org<mailto:Ldenard@hbculibraries.org> "Transforming for Tomorrow while Preserving the Past." Sandra M. Phoenix, Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance 678-210-5801 ext. 101 (office) 404-702-5854 (cell) http://www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> Seek justice, honor the ancestors, honor the children and those yet to come. Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/hbculibraryalliance1/ and Twitter at https://twitter.com/HBCULibAlliance Check out "PULSE!" The HBCU Library Alliance's News Source! - https://hbculibraryalliance.wordpress.com/