University of Cincinnati
08/31/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/31/2026 19:48
Her book drive is changing literacy in Cincinnati
Her book drive is changing literacy in Cincinnati
Nonprofit group offers co-ops in College of Arts and Sciences
2 minute read August 31, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print Story Like
WCPO highlighted a nonprofit organization dedicated to childhood literacy that offers co-op positions at the University of Cincinnati.
The group, As Told By Foundation, was established by UC alumna Arin Gentry, now senior academic adviser with UC's College of Arts and Sciences. The foundation goes into schools to read to students and play host to fairs to give books to Cincinnati children to encourage reading.
UC graduate Arin Gentry, now a senior academic adviser for UC's College of Arts and Sciences, created the nonprofit As Told By Foundation dedicated to improving children's literacy in Cincinnati. Photo/WCPO
"I wanted to make sure young people had books and stories that shared kind of their experiences in a positive way," Gentry told WCPO. "But I really wanted to empower young people to be able to tell their stories."
Gentry started her organization in 2020 and has watched it grow. The foundation received a $5,000 grant from WCPO and the Scripps Howard Fund, which will pay for more than 2,000 new books.
This year it will offer an after-school reading pilot program.
The group has grown large enough to offer a co-op position to a UC College of Arts and Sciences student to help with its literacy programs and community partners.
UC integrates paid, full-time co-op experiences into academic programs across disciplines, giving students multiple terms of real-world work before graduation. By the time they earn their degrees, many UC students have already held several professional roles, built networks and demonstrated value to employers on real projects.
"Reading and literacy are a very powerful tool," Gentry told WCPO.
Featured image at top: WCPO highlighted a nonprofit group dedicated to literacy created by UC Senior Academic Adviser Arin Gentry. Photo/FatCamera/iStockPhoto
UC College of Arts and Sciences Senior Academic Adviser Arin Gentry created the As Told By Foundation dedicated to improving childhood literacy in Cincinnati. Photo/WCPO
UC Co-op Fast Facts
- $94 million-plus in collective self-reported earnings
- 8,300-plus students from disciplines across the university participate
- $11,220 average co-op salary per student per semester
- 1,700-plus employer partners participate in co-op
- Top 5 program in the nation (U.S. News & World Report)
Learn more about cooperative education (co-op) at UC.
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University of Cincinnati published this content on August 31, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 01, 2026 at 01:48 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]