Appalachian State Awarded $35 Million Grant to Expand GEAR UP College Access Program
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a seven-year, $35 million GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant to Appalachian State University’s College Access Partnerships in the Reich College of Education. The award represents the largest single grant ever awarded to the university.
GEAR UP is a federally funded college access program designed to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education immediately after high school. Through a wide range of research-based services to students, families, and teachers, the GEAR UP NC Appalachian Partnership aims to improve college-going mindsets, high school graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment rates.
App State is one of only 18 institutions nationwide awarded a GEAR UP grant in 2024, and it is the largest award in this cycle. The university administers multiple GEAR UP grants, and the most recent grant program, which began on Sept. 1, is known as GEAR UP APEX (Advancing Prosperity through Education and eXcellence). GEAR UP APEX includes 12 school districts and eight partnering North Carolina higher education institutions, all working together to provide college and career services to nearly 14,500 middle and high school students and their families.
“App State is honored to receive federal grant funding to extend the GEAR UP college access program to even more middle and high school students in our community, affirming our belief that every student, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to pursue higher education,” said App State Interim Chancellor Heather Norris. “By investing in their futures, we are investing in the future of our entire region.”
Read the full story on the university’s AppalachianToday website.
Tags: federal issues, funding, school-university partnerships, workforce development
