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$29M-plus in anticipated federal funding supports Appalachian GEAR UP from 2020–27

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Dr. Jeff Goodman ’93, senior lecturer in Appalachian State University’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, far left in foreground, engages GEAR UP students in a science activity on App State’s campus in 2017. Photo by Marie Freeman

“The grant project will address systemic and sustainable strategies for increased college readiness, with the goal of creating a college-going culture in each GEAR UP partner school.”

Corinne Smith, director of Appalachian GEAR UP

GEAR UP college preparation activities
Academic and professional development
  • Student workshops.
  • Summer programming.
  • Tutoring and homework assistance.
  • Academic enrichment.
  • Professional development and training.
Advising, counseling and mentoring
  • Counseling, advising, academic planning and career counseling.
  • Financial aid counseling and advising.
  • Parent services, workshops and family advising.
  • Comprehensive mentoring.
On-site learning experiences
  • College visits.
  • Educational field trips.
  • College student shadowing.
  • Job site visits and job shadowing.
About GEAR UP

GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) 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. We work in partnership with 11 school districts to provide college preparation activities to 15,000 middle and high school students and parents.

Learn more
Edited by Jessica Stump
Posted Nov. 30, 2020 at 4:46 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — More than $29 million in anticipated federal funding, awarded through the U.S. Department of Education, has been allocated to support Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) at Appalachian State University for the next seven academic years (2020–21 to 2026–27). GEAR UP aims to improve the postsecondary enrollment, retention and completion rates of the sixth–12th grade students it serves in Western North Carolina.

“The grant project will address systemic and sustainable strategies for increased college readiness, with the goal of creating a college-going culture in each GEAR UP partner school.”

Corinne Smith, director of Appalachian GEAR UP

Appalachian GEAR UP, which is overseen by App State’s College Access Partnerships, 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.

Of the grant funding, $4,219,200 — awarded to Dr. Jim Beeler, director of College Access Partnerships, and Corinne Smith, director of Appalachian GEAR UP — will support GEAR UP in the 2020–21 academic year. The $29 million-plus in funding is the largest grant awarded to App State since 2004, according to the Office of Research.

‘Creating a college-going culture’

According to Smith, Appalachian GEAR UP will impact more than 14,000 students in 10 Western North Carolina counties during the seven-year grant cycle.

“The grant project will address systemic and sustainable strategies for increased college readiness, with the goal of creating a college-going culture in each GEAR UP partner school,” she said.

The GEAR UP support will reach students in these Western North Carolina counties: Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Burke, Yancey, Madison, Graham, Clay, Swain and Wilkes.

Smith explained that Appalachian GEAR UP, in partnership with other Western North Carolina colleges and universities, will focus on improving students’ access to and performance in a rigorous curriculum that includes Math 1 (one of four high school mathematics courses required for graduation), computer science and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) courses, as well as improving their ACT performance.

GEAR UP will also expose students to entrepreneurship learning opportunities, career exploration, financial literacy and the college application process.

In fall 2019, App State’s GEAR UP team collaborated with the university’s Office of Admissions and the GEAR UP districts that were part of the previous seven-year GEAR UP grant cycle to create the GEAR UP Guarantee, which offers guaranteed admission to App State for seniors at GEAR UP high schools who meet certain criteria.

The university will continue to offer the guaranteed acceptance to GEAR UP graduating classes over the next three years, and the guarantee will remain in place for seniors at GEAR UP school districts covered under the previous grant.

The university’s first group of GEAR UP students — those currently enrolled at App State in fall 2020 who have benefitted from GEAR UP since middle school — will continue to receive GEAR UP services during their time at App State.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, along with Sen. and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, Sen. Jacky Rosen and Sen. Susan Collins, co-sponsored the GEAR UP for Success Act of 2019. This bipartisan legislation, introduced by Sens. Joe Manchin and John Cornyn, aims to improve the GEAR UP federal grant program by giving grant recipients increased flexibility to cater to local students’ needs, reducing administrative burdens for grant recipients and ensuring a fairer and more competitive application process, according to a 2019 news release from Tillis’ office.

Tillis said, “Our investment in education is important now more than ever as students have had to adapt to remote learning due to COVID-19. GEAR UP has a proven track record of success for low-income and underrepresented students in North Carolina, and this grant will provide funding to Appalachian State University to ensure that every student, no matter their background, has everything they need to prepare for education beyond high school. I applaud the administration and Secretary DeVos for their continued investment in the future of North Carolina students.”

Learn more about GEAR UP.

GEAR UP college preparation activities
Academic and professional development
  • Student workshops.
  • Summer programming.
  • Tutoring and homework assistance.
  • Academic enrichment.
  • Professional development and training.
Advising, counseling and mentoring
  • Counseling, advising, academic planning and career counseling.
  • Financial aid counseling and advising.
  • Parent services, workshops and family advising.
  • Comprehensive mentoring.
On-site learning experiences
  • College visits.
  • Educational field trips.
  • College student shadowing.
  • Job site visits and job shadowing.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

About GEAR UP

GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) 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. We work in partnership with 11 school districts to provide college preparation activities to 15,000 middle and high school students and parents.

Learn more
Appalachian guarantees admission to qualifying high school seniors in 11 NC GEAR UP school districts
Appalachian guarantees admission to qualifying high school seniors in 11 NC GEAR UP school districts
Oct. 17, 2019

Through the GEAR UP Guarantee program, current seniors in 11 Western North Carolina high school districts who meet specific academic requirements and submit an application by Friday, Nov. 1, are guaranteed admission to Appalachian.

Read the story
App State welcomes first group of GEAR UP students
App State welcomes first group of GEAR UP students
Oct. 26, 2020

Nearly 200 first-year students enrolled at App State this fall are proof that GEAR UP — a federally funded program to prepare students for postsecondary education — works. These GEAR UP graduates — among the first in Western N.C. — represent a 38% increase over 2019–20 enrollment of first-year students from App State’s GEAR UP school partners.

Read the story

About College Access Partnerships

College Access Partnerships (CAP) is housed in the Reich College of Education at Appalachian State University and comprises programs in college access and educator professional learning, including Appalachian GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), Upward Bound, Appalachian College Advising Corps, Empowering Teacher Learning, Young Eisner Scholars (YES), GREAT STEM and On Ramp Appalachia. These programs aim to prepare students throughout Western North Carolina to engage in postsecondary learning that provides opportunities for careers in their home region and beyond. For more information, visit gocollege.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

“The grant project will address systemic and sustainable strategies for increased college readiness, with the goal of creating a college-going culture in each GEAR UP partner school.”

Corinne Smith, director of Appalachian GEAR UP

Appalachian guarantees admission to qualifying high school seniors in 11 NC GEAR UP school districts
Appalachian guarantees admission to qualifying high school seniors in 11 NC GEAR UP school districts
Oct. 17, 2019

Through the GEAR UP Guarantee program, current seniors in 11 Western North Carolina high school districts who meet specific academic requirements and submit an application by Friday, Nov. 1, are guaranteed admission to Appalachian.

Read the story
App State welcomes first group of GEAR UP students
App State welcomes first group of GEAR UP students
Oct. 26, 2020

Nearly 200 first-year students enrolled at App State this fall are proof that GEAR UP — a federally funded program to prepare students for postsecondary education — works. These GEAR UP graduates — among the first in Western N.C. — represent a 38% increase over 2019–20 enrollment of first-year students from App State’s GEAR UP school partners.

Read the story
GEAR UP college preparation activities
Academic and professional development
  • Student workshops.
  • Summer programming.
  • Tutoring and homework assistance.
  • Academic enrichment.
  • Professional development and training.
Advising, counseling and mentoring
  • Counseling, advising, academic planning and career counseling.
  • Financial aid counseling and advising.
  • Parent services, workshops and family advising.
  • Comprehensive mentoring.
On-site learning experiences
  • College visits.
  • Educational field trips.
  • College student shadowing.
  • Job site visits and job shadowing.
About GEAR UP

GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) 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. We work in partnership with 11 school districts to provide college preparation activities to 15,000 middle and high school students and parents.

Learn more

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

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Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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