NEWS

NEWBERRY — Newberry College has launched a new program for students with language-based learning differences, the first of its kind in South Carolina.

The Language-Based Learning Differences Program is designed to offer students diagnosed with dyslexia a helpful educational and residential environment with personalized support.

“We are proud to be able to offer accessible, high-quality education for all students, and to serve the needs of students in our state and region,” said Dr. Sid Parrish, vice president for academic affairs. “This program is another example of our commitment to personal attention and to providing high-quality support and guidance to our students with language-based learning differences.”

Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading, affecting an estimated 15% of Americans, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The International Dyslexia Association also estimates that 30% of those with dyslexia also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

Newberry College’s program will provide eligible students with a professional mentor and an annual, merit-based scholarship of $11,000. The program will also provide summer training for faculty and staff. The college is in the process of hiring a director of dyslexia programming to oversee the program’s academic and cocurricular support structures.

Eligible students should submit a completed application for admission and a high school transcript. The college’s admission counselors will work with each student to secure a letter of recommendation from a guidance counselor, principal or headmaster, and the required medical documentation.

The program is partially funded by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.