Ruth Johnson Colvin (December 16, 1916 – August 18, 2024) was an American philanthropist who was the founder of the non-profit organization Literacy Volunteers of America, now called ProLiteracy Worldwide in Syracuse, New York, in 1962.

They married in 1940, moved to Seattle, Washington, then Syracuse, New York, where he built a "lucrative sales and consulting career" around industrial chemicals.

[4] Colvin became aware of the problem of illiteracy in her hometown of Syracuse when the 1960 census reports were released and in 1962 she learned that the city had over 11,000 people functioning at the lowest level of literacy.

[3] Always an avid reader herself, she worked with reading specialists at Syracuse University and developed materials to train volunteer tutors various motivation and instruction techniques.

[1] The non-profit looks for effective ways to teach basic literacy and English as a second language which stresses the importance of educationally sound "learner-centered" training of tutors and "ongoing support system.

His concern about their poor living conditions led him to conclude that the ability to read and write was essential for them to begin to solve their problems.

From 1935 to 1967, Dr. Laubach visited 105 countries answering calls for literacy help and created reading lessons in 315 languages.

[6] She was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush on December 15, 2006, in the East Room of the White House.

She also taught in developing countries such as Madagascar, Papua, New Guinea, Zambia, Guatemala, Pakistan, Somalia and China.

She also trained teachers in Madagascar to teach locals English and was invited to return to the area to start a literacy program in Malagasy.

[3] She received nine honorary doctorates of humane letter degrees[5] including one in May 1983, from her alma mater, Syracuse University.

[1] On May 20, 2018, Colvin gave the Commencement Address at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York, and was awarded an honorary doctorate.