The University of Findlay today presented Ohio’s First Lady Fran DeWine with an Honorary Doctorate of Arts and Letters, celebrating her dedication to children’s literacy in the Buckeye State.
“Fran DeWine has honorably served the State of Ohio and its citizens with her passion for making children’s lives better,” UF President Richard Ludwick, J.D., D.Ed., said. “Thanks to her leadership, Ohio now has the largest program for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in the nation, as well as a significant statewide Storybook Trails program at our state parks and interstate rest stops. All of these programs develop confident readers and lifelong learners.”
The degree was conferred upon Mrs. DeWine during a ceremony at UF’s Mazza Museum, the world’s first and largest collection of original picture book artwork, housing 23,000 pieces of original artwork.
“Reading is a lifelong skill that opens doors, sparks imagination, and creates opportunities for children to live up to their God-given potential,” said Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine. “I’m honored to receive this recognition, and grateful for the opportunity to work with many community leaders and organizations to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio. Together, we can carry on Dolly’s legacy, ensuring the next generation of Ohio children continue to receive a free monthly book in the mail.”
Trustees Rev. Lance Finley and Gulshan Mehta, along with President Ludwick and UF President Emerita Katherine Fell, Ph.D., conferred the degree and bestowed the hood upon Mrs. DeWine.
Fell presented a citation to Mrs. DeWine, noting, “Fran made it her mission to expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio, allowing every child under the age of five in each of Ohio’s 88 counties to receive a free book in the mail each month.”
The First Lady also has helped a statewide effort to flourish in which newborns at the hospital can be enrolled and are guaranteed to receive all 60 books in the Imagination Library collection.
Mrs. DeWine and her husband, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, are the parents of eight children, grandparents of 28, and great-grandparents of two; she first learned about the program when one of her grandchildren received a book from the Dolly Parton collection.
Since 2019, more than 28 million books have reached over 1 million children in the Buckeye state and 65 percent of eligible Ohio children are now receiving books.
In addition, Mrs. DeWine is the inspiration behind the Storybook Trails featured in 23 of Ohio’s state parks and at 38 rest areas along interstates. The trails allow children and their families to spend time together outdoors along paths featuring artwork and narrative from children’s books, positively impacting their education and health.
President Ludwick explained that the University and the Mazza Museum share the First Lady’s dedication to promoting future educational success with a mission to promote literacy and enrich the lives of all people through the art of picture books.
“The Mazza Museum and the Joseph and Judith Conda STEAM (science, technology, education, arts, math) Education Center are committed to exhibits and programming that connect visitors with the magic of picture book art, science, and creativity,” he explained.
In addition, UF students in the College of Education share in the efforts to improve reading proficiency among local children through the free Clubhouse tutoring service.
President Ludwick noted the critical importance of children spending more time with reading and books.
“It is a priceless investment to capture the attention of young children with picture books and draw them in,” he said. “Of all the skills a child learns in the early years of school, the ability to read has the strongest impact upon the other aspects of learning throughout their educational journey.”
Pictured above: Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine (front middle) is ceremoniously hooded by University of Findlay President Richard Ludwick, J.D., D.Ed. (left), President Emerita Katherine Fell (back middle), Ph.D., and Trustee Gulshan Mehta (right).
