A simple conversation nearly 12 years ago between a father and his daughter has sparked a transformative movement, culminating in a generous laptop giveaway at Elizabeth City State University. On September 11, the nonprofit organization Eliminate the Digital Divide visited the Ridley Student Center to distribute over 200 fully refurbished laptops to incoming freshmen, ensuring that students are equipped with essential tools for their academic journeys.
Each laptop featured a minimum of 8GB RAM, a 128GB hard drive, the latest Windows 11 operating system, and a three-month technical warranty. This initiative reflects E2D’s mission, which dates back to 2013, when founder Pat Millen’s daughter, Franny, brought home an observation from her seventh-grade classroom.
“Dad, every assignment we get here in seventh grade assumes you have a computer at home to do the work and I know some kids at school who don’t. That’s not fair,” Franny told her father. Franny posed a crucial question: “What are we going to do about it?” This conversation marked the inception of E2D, which would eventually provide computers to students and families in need.
Pat Millen, then pursuing a different career path, felt compelled to act on his daughter’s concerns. Through outreach to his network of executive colleagues, Millen garnered support and funding, allowing E2D to distribute its first batch of laptops to 150 families in need back in 2013.
At ECSU, the recent laptop giveaway not only fulfilled E2D’s vision but also addressed an urgent need among the student body. For many freshmen, the timing couldn’t be better. As educational institutions increasingly rely on technology, having access to reliable and up-to-date equipment is essential for success.
For more information about E2D and its mission to eliminate the digital divide, click here.
