BOONE, N.C. — Corinne Smith, director of Appalachian State University’s GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) and deputy director of College Access Partnerships, has received the 2025 GEAR UP Professional Leader of the Year award. She was honored July 14, during the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships/GEAR UP Annual Conference in San Francisco.

GEAR UP — a grant program created and funded by Congress and administered by the U.S. Department of Education — helps students from low-income communities prepare for and succeed in education and training beyond high school so that they can achieve their career goals. The Professional Leader of the Year award recognizes an individual who is passionate about and committed to the GEAR UP movement and to the goal of ensuring college access and success for all students.

“I’m deeply honored to receive this award,” said Smith. “It reflects the collective passion, purpose and hard work of the incredible team and communities I’ve had the privilege to work alongside in expanding opportunities for students. As a first-generation college student, this recognition is especially meaningful because it represents a full circle moment in my journey and reaffirms my commitment to expanding educational pathways for students like me.”

From the beginning of her tenure and throughout her 10 years with GEAR UP, Smith has articulated a bold vision for student achievement. According to her colleagues, she not only sets ambitious goals but also builds the systems and partnerships necessary to achieve them. They describe her strategic leadership as being instrumental in expanding access to college and career pathways, particularly through her unwavering support of programs that serve students and families facing adversity.

“Corinne doesn’t just talk about leadership — she lives it,” said Dr. Jim Beeler, executive director of College Access Partnerships. “Her actions consistently reflect integrity, excellence and a deep sense of purpose. She brings people together, sparks innovation and builds high-performing teams through both intellect and heart. It’s a privilege to call her a colleague.”

Smith’s impact is perhaps most evident in her advocacy for scalable, sustainable and well-resourced initiatives. A skilled grant writer and strategist, she led the work that secured over $90 million in grants during the last five years — funding that directly supports student enrichment, family engagement and long-term program viability. Her colleagues said her ability to translate vision into funded, high-impact programs reflects her deep understanding of both organizational development and community needs.

“She’s not chasing one-off programs or short-term wins — Corinne is building an ecosystem,” said Cecilia Holden, president and CEO of myFutureNC. “Every grant she secures, every partnership she forges and every strategy she drives is grounded in the belief that lasting change happens when communities unite around a shared mission with students at the center.”

Smith’s contributions have expanded college access and success for tens of thousands of students across Western North Carolina. Under her leadership, App State GEAR UP has expanded from 10 to 17 school districts, from 49 to 99 schools and from serving 14,000 students to over 26,000.

In the 2023–24 academic year alone, at a cost of just under $450 per student, App State utilized GEAR UP funding to:

• improve Algebra/Math I proficiency rates, achieving more than 16 percentage points above North Carolina students who were not in GEAR UP (53.42% versus 37%); and
• increase high school graduation rates, achieving nearly 9% over that of North Carolina students who were not in GEAR UP (95.85% versus 87%).

Smith also led the creation of the GEAR UP Guarantee — a groundbreaking admissions policy at App State that guarantees admission to qualifying GEAR UP students. Since its launch in 2019, the program has produced a 57% increase in applications, a 61.5% rise in admittances and a 39.3% increase in enrollment from students in GEAR UP school districts, which are located in Ashe, Alleghany, Burke, Clay, Graham, Madison, Rutherford, Swain, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties.

“Corinne is a bold visionary, articulating compelling ideas with exceptional communication skills,” said Jody Freeman, GEAR UP coordinator at Wilkes County Schools. “What sets her apart is her ability to empower others to embrace that larger vision and take meaningful steps toward it by including their thoughts and ideas in the development of the programming.”

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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 aim to improve college-going mindsets, high school graduation rates, and postsecondary enrollment rates through a wide range of research-grounded services to students, families, and teachers.

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App State awarded $35 million grant to expand GEAR UP college access program

Largest grant in university history will provide college and career services to thousands of middle and high school students

Sep. 3, 2024

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a seven-year, $35 million grant to App State’s College Access Partnerships to expand its GEAR UP program for middle school and high school students. The award represents the largest single grant ever awarded to the university.

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About College Access Partnerships

College Access Partnerships (CAP) is housed in the Office of Research and Innovation at Appalachian State University and comprises programs in college access and educator professional learning, including Appalachian GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), Upward Bound, Advise NC at App State, 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, cost-effective education. 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.