
Creates a safe space for learning and growth.
Carey V. Larson is the Digital Literacy Program Coordinator at Portland Community College, serving in the position of Mgr/Program II - Dig Literacy. She holds a BS in Philosophy from the University of Oregon and an MLS in Library and Information Science from the University of Washington. Larson joined Portland Community College in 2009 as the Online Student Services Facilitator in the Distance Education Department. In this role, she collaborated with campus student services staff to develop new online student services for distance learners. She contributed to the team that developed the new PCC Library website and possessed experience as a virtual librarian with expertise in social media.
Larson's career at PCC has progressed to Academic Professional in the LAPP/Student Learning Center. In Summer 2020, she undertook a professional leave at 100% salary to fulfill responsibilities of staying current in technological skills and software certifications, investigating new training materials and technology learning tools for students, faculty, and staff. This effort supported PCC's core themes of access, student success, quality education, diversity, equity, and inclusion, enriching contributions to digital literacy in higher education. As leader of the PCC Digital Literacy Program, she manages Digital Navigation Assistance, employing expert student digital navigators to deliver holistic, individualized support to students and community members. This includes assistance with affordable internet access, device acquisition, technical skills development, and application support for services like benefits, taxes, healthcare, classes, and social services, many now exclusively online. The program features Northstar Digital Literacy and positions digital literacy as an essential basic need on par with food and housing. Larson co-presented a session titled 'Digital Literacy at PCC' at Teaching Week 2022 with Roberta Richards and Rachel Bridgewater.