About Us
Mission
Pair underserved elementary students with college-aged mentors to develop literacy skills and a love of learning.
Values
Community
Curiosity
Confidence
Vision
College and elementary students across the country develop confidence and curiosity while cultivating connected communities.
Our History
Once upon a time, four educators in training at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) realized two things:
Many elementary students do not receive enough 1-on-1 literacy support from their understaffed schools.
Many college students love working with children. They’re happy to take a break from reading textbooks and read children’s books instead.
In 2015, they established a service organization on campus called Students Expanding Austin Literacy (SEAL). They partnered with local nonprofits to pair elementary students with college-aged volunteers who were eager to share the magic of reading. Since then, hundreds of SEAL members have committed to volunteering on a weekly basis.
In 2018, SEAL registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and was renamed Students Expanding American Literacy. The second SEAL chapter was established at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 2019 and the third chapter was established at St. Edward’s University (SEU) in 2021. We’re just getting started!
SEAL was founded in 2015 by Pai Liu, Davey Bemporad, Joe Park, and Roger Lam (left to right)
Partners and Sponsors
Accountability
These bylaws cover the national SEAL nonprofit and the board of directors. Each SEAL chapter will have its own membership documents that meet the requirements of the college it is registered with.
SEAL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with annual revenue of less than $50,000. We file Form 990-N every year to maintain tax-exempt status. That means your donations are tax-deductible!