The grant comes from Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) and will support Davenport University’s Mid-Michigan GEAR UP (MMGU) Project. It is the largest grant the university has ever received.
Davenport University has received a historic $10 million US Department of Education grant via the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) initiative. The funding, the largest grant amount the university has ever received, will support its Mid-Michigan GEAR UP Project. MMGU will help prepare middle school students around Michigan for academic success and improve their college readiness.
According to an article on Davenport University’s website, Richard J. Pappas, Ed.D., the university’s president, was quoted as saying of the funding, “Davenport University is honored to lead this transformative initiative that will open doors for more than 1,700 Michigan students. This grant is a direct reflection of the strength of our partnerships across the state, particularly our K-12 school partners and more than 20 dedicated organizations and community colleges. Everyone involved is committed to creating new pathways to education, career opportunities and lifelong fulfillment.”
The Mid-Michigan GEAR UP Project will serve 1,700 middle school students from Lansing School District, Ypsilanti Community Schools, and Muskegon Heights Public School Academy System. These students will participate in a seven-year program that follows them from middle school to high school to their first year of college, with programming that includes after school clubs, workshops for students and their families, visits to college campuses, and various college and career readiness initiatives.
The university will begin collaborating with its partners in the MMGU program, which include Henry Ford Museum, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Capital Area Michigan Works!, University of Olivet, Grand Rapids Community College, Monroe County Community College, and Muskegon Community College, in order to start preparations for students to begin with the program in 2026.
Dr. Alena Zachery-Ross, who serves as the superintendent of Ypsilanti Community Schools, said, “We are thrilled that this funding will provide our 6th and 7th grade scholars with the additional resources and support needed to succeed academically and prepare for their futures. We are particularly excited that this effort will extend through postsecondary life, setting them on a clear path to success. We extend our thanks to Davenport University for their strong partnership and unwavering commitment to the success of our scholars. Truly, the sky’s the limit for our scholars with this kind of sustained support.”
Dr. Steven J. Triezenberg, the interim president of Grand Rapids Community College, added, “Grand Rapids Community College is honored to partner with Davenport University in this important GEAR Up initiative. Through campus visits and engagement with our faculty and staff, we are excited to introduce young learners to what “college” looks like and to help them see themselves in this setting. This grant reflects the power of collaboration in helping young students, and their parents, know that colleges have the programs and resources that will help them succeed in a wide range of career directions.”
The GEAR UP program of the US Department of Education is designed to help students from low-income families find success in college. Thirty-two schools around the country received funding through this grant, and Davenport University is one of the two recipients in the state of Michigan.
For more information about Davenport University, visit the school’s website.