Elizabeth (Betsy) VanDeusen, PhD
Director, Augusta University Literacy Center | Augusta University
Augusta, GA, UNITED STATES
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Areas of Expertise (3)
Interdisciplinary Instruction
Communities of Practice
Literacy
Accomplishments (6)
CMU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Internal Grant, New Research Initiative Grant, “Using Authentic Collaborative Projects to Support Technology Integration"
2013 - 2014
CEHS Faculty Scholarship Grant, “Facilitating a Teacher-in-Residence Program”
2012 - 2013
CMU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Internal Grant, Early Career Investigator, “Understanding the Work of Technical Assistance Providers”
2011 - 2012
CMU Faculty Excellence Recognition in Research, with Dr. Kathryn Dirkin
2016
President’s and Provost Innovation Award ($50,000) with Communication & Speech Disorders and TEPD, Structured Literacy and Language Intervention Certificate
2016
CEHS Innovation Award ($100,000) in support of The Literacy Center Initiative
2015 - 2019
Education (3)
Oakland University: Ph.D., Reading Education, Instructional Technology 2009
Eastern Michigan University: B.S., Emotional Impairment
Eastern Michigan University: M.A., Learning Disabilities
Affiliations (4)
- International Literacy Association : Member
- The Reading League : Member
- National School Reform Faculty : Member
- American Educational Research Association : Member
Links (1)
Media Appearances (13)
Books for Shay brings a smile to children’s faces at the Augusta HUB
The Augusta Press online
2024-03-11
Local families were invited to Augusta’s Community HUB on Saturday morning, March 9, to receive several free books and enjoy other activities in remembrance of a bright teenager. To honor their daughter Shaylin Foster, who died in a car accident during her senior year of high school, parents Chris and Chastity Foster partnered with Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia and the Dr. Paulette P. Harris Literacy Center to host a community book drive. “Shaylin was so impactful here from the moment she was born, and through this she continues to impact so many lives. It’s amazing how much she still impacts people,” Chastity Foster said. “She was just known for her kind, empathetic spirit … she was almost like a shepherd to lost people.” To Betsy VanDeusen, director of the Literacy Center, Shay’s book drive grew to be increasingly beneficial for the community as more people found out about the Foster family’s story. Not only does the drive offer bilingual books, but it also gives families the chance to get quickly updated on their individual health. “It eventually morphed into an event that celebrated not just books, but good health in general,” said VanDeusen. “So we’ve got health screenings here and a lot of fun activities – it’s just the perfect welcome into Spring.”
Morning Mix - 2nd annual Holiday Basics held at The Hub
WRDW tv
2023-12-04
2nd Annual Holiday Basics at The Hub. Augusta University's Literacy Center director Betsy VanDeusen talks about all the happenings during the event.
HUB for Community Innovation hosts back to school event to excite kids and help families
The Augusta Press online
2023-07-23
On Saturday, July 22, the HUB for Community Innovation, located at 631 Chafee Ave., hosted a back to school event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., where about 600 students collected free school supplies. Co-lead by organizers from Augusta University’s Literacy Center and RISE Augusta, other community partners who helped sponsor and set up booths at the event included AT&T, the Richmond County School System, Harrisburg Family Health, Augusta Locally Grown, Paine College, the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Augusta. “This year we had a generous donation from AT&T for 450 backpacks, and we were able to supplement that with some of our own as well, and so we’ve been able to seen even more kids than last year,” said Betsy VanDeusen, Director of Augusta University’s Literacy Center, located within the HUB. “The HUB has been open for just about a year, and this year really represents the synergy of all the partners. The whole building is being used and all the partners are contributing in some way, so it really is the whole mission of the HUB to have this kind of activity.”
HUB for Community Innovation announces two day opening event
WFXG tv
2022-06-15
After over a year of construction and hard work The Hub for community innovation is getting ready to open it’s doors to the community. The Hub consists of two buildings, with the first being a multi resource center for 4 non-profits, including Augusta Locally Grown, Augusta University Literacy Center, Harrisburg Family Health Care, and Rise Augusta. “We ourselves provide fresh food access to the community, We have farmers markets where we double SNAP and EBT, we have an online market and we’re also going to have a shared kitchen space,” said Executive Director of Augusta Locally Grown, Rebecca Van Loenen. “We provide free, high quality, evidence based literacy instruction for children, adolescence, and adults who want to learn how to read and who want to get better at reading for a purpose they might have, a job that they might want to apply for or help their students at home,” explained the director of the Augusta University Literacy Center Betsy Van Deusen.
The Means Report
WJBF tv
2023-07-16
Your chance to score some cool back to school items is coming up this weekend. Augusta University’s literacy program is hosting a a special event July 22nd. The directory of the literacy center is our guest on The Means Report. Watch our interview and find out how you can reap the benefits of the giveaway. You will also learn about the wonderful work at the center. They teach people of all ages how to read and write. We hope you enjoy the interview and hope you will join us for The Means Report. We’re on Monday afternoons at 12:30 on WJBF NewsChannel 6.
WRDW Morning Mix
WRDW tv
2023-07-20
Augusta University's Literacy Center director talks to the Morning Mix about an upcoming back-to-school giveaway
Back to school at the Hub
WFXG tv
2023-07-18
The Hub for Community Innovation is holding a back to school event. It's an opportunity for the community to come to the HUB and celebrate the start of the 2023-2024 school year. The event will be filled with activities and giveaways to support students and families. Bookbags will be available for each student (K-12), filled with school supplies. Information will be provided on a program for parents called, "The Basics" that supports infants and toddlers.
Here’s how the HUB for Community Innovation is filling the gaps in Augusta
WRDW tv
2022-06-24
The HUB for Community Innovation held its grand opening Friday. The home for local nonprofits and the Boys and Girls Club promises fresh food, health care, education, and mental health services. Here’s how the HUB will be a game-changer for the Laney Walker and Harrisburg neighborhoods. Friday was about more than cutting the ribbon on two of the amazing buildings; it was about the four cornerstones in the building that makes it special.
Chronic absenteeism seen with Richmond County students
WRDW tv
2022-08-08
The ITEAM’s recent series on the faces of homelessness in Augusta highlighted a lack of stability at home or no home at all – plus transportation struggles to even get to school – crippled a growing number of students from making it to class. “The amount of students who are chronically absent has more than tripled across the U.S.” Dr. Betsy VanDeusen is the Literacy Center Director at Augusta University. She has studied the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students across the country and at home.
HUB for Community Innovation opens little libraries for little kids
WRDW tv
2022-08-09
The HUB for Community Innovation hopes to be a central place for learning, food resources, and health care for the Laney Walker and Harrisburg neighborhoods. Their newest addition is a free little library for young kids. Here’s how it could make a big difference for the next generation. “Folks will be able to take a book to read,” said Augusta University Literacy Center Director Betsy Vandeusen.
AU hopes to improve literacy rates with new center
WRDW tv
2022-10-19
A day after Augusta University opened its new literacy center at the HUB for Community Innovation, we’re learning more about how it’s going to help local students. According to data from AU, only about 30 percent of kids in Richmond County are reading on grade level by the end of their 3rd-grade year. They have books, computer areas, and even courses to help improve literacy throughout the community. These resources aren’t just for students; adults can also use them.
AU Literacy Center: New name, same mission
WJBF tv
2023-08-16
Augusta University is paying homage to an educational advocate in a big way. The school’s literacy center is now named after its founder, Dr. Paulette P. Harris, who was once a professor in the Education department. Through the center, Dr. Harris helped thousands of children and adults learn to read. She started the center more than 30 years ago, intending to focus on helping adults learn to read before realizing that kids needed her help too. Dr. Harris’s passion came from her belief that knowing how to read makes life better for everyone. It was important to her to provide free, high-quality tutoring to people of all ages who need help.
Literacy is Health/Books for Shay
WRDW tv
2024-03-06
Literacy is Health/Books for Shay. Betsy VanDeusen talk about the upcoming event at the Hub.
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