East Tennessee State University receives $29 million U.S. Department of Education grant

East Tennessee State University has received a seven-year, $29 million US Department of Education grant in order to establish the ETSU GEAR UP Partnership, or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. This program is designed to provide improved access to education opportunities for students who come from Northeast Tennessee. 

According to an article on East Tennessee State University’s website, Dr. Brian Noland, the university’s president, was quoted as saying of the program, “This extraordinary program will reinforce ETSU’s deep commitment to advancing college access and supporting first-generation and rural students. It builds on our university’s longstanding leadership with federal TRIO programs and our proven ability to positively impact student success in the region. I would like to thank our federal lawmakers, including Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, along with Representative Diana Harshbarger, for supporting investments like these in our rural communities.”

Noland added, “Every student should consider pursuing some form of education or training beyond high school. Trade certificates, associate degrees, apprenticeship programs, military service and bachelor's degree programs are all great options that expand individual opportunities and strengthen our regional workforce.”

The grant will provide funding for 5,198 middle school students to complete college visits, summer programs, dual enrollment opportunities, tutoring, college and career prep workshops, and financial literacy education, among other opportunities. The program will be available to middle schoolers in Carter, Hawkins, Johnson, Kingsport City, Sullivan, and Washington County school districts.

The ETSU GEAR UP Partnership program adapts “Think, Know, Act, Go: Educational Attainment and Economic Mobility,” which is a national college readiness framework authored by David Conley. The ETSU GEAR UP Partnership grant was written by Dr. Ronnie Gross, Dr. Susan McCracken, Dr. Pamela Mims, and Dr. Chrissy Tillery.

Dr. Joe Sherlin, who serves as the senior vice president for Student Life and Enrollment, explained how the ETSU GEAR UP Partnership will build upon other efforts the university has undertaken to improve student success. Sherlin said, “ETSU is one of just five institutions in the nation that hosts all of the federal TRIO programs and GEAR UP. This award strengthens our position as a national leader in helping students overcome barriers to higher education and ensuring they have the tools to succeed. It also furthers ETSU’s goal of building strong connections across the education continuum and providing students with seamless pathways to pursue postsecondary education.”

For more information about East Tennessee State University, visit the school’s website.