Arkansas Tech University is one of 26 educational entities across the United States chosen for a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education beginning with the 2024-25 academic year.
The grant, which is anticipated to last seven years and total $6.1 million, will allow ATU to serve 1,157 students from the Clarksville School District and the Russellville School District.
Goals of the ATU GEAR UP program are to increase the academic performance and preparation for post-secondary education of participating students; increase the rate of high school graduation and participation in post-secondary education; and educate students and their families about higher education options, preparation and financing for success in post-secondary education.
Arkansas Tech is the lone educational entity in the State of Arkansas that received a GEAR UP grant for the 2024-25 cycle.
Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, ATU professor of curriculum and instruction, is the primary investigator on the grant.
“I am thrilled and deeply honored to be part of the GEAR UP initiative,” said Ibrahim. “It aligns perfectly with the university and the leadership mission to support young learners from diverse and economically challenged backgrounds, helping them to overcome barriers and realize their full potential. It is a privilege to contribute to such a transformative effort that promises to make a lasting impact on the lives of these students and their communities.”
Community partners that will assist in the implementation of the grant include the Clarksville School District, the Russellville School District, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Arkansas River Valley Russellville location and Education Consulting LLC.
“The program works with a cohort of students beginning at the upper elementary and middle grades levels to prepare them for college,” said Dr. Tim Carter, dean of the ATU College of Education and Health. “This grand-funded effort will involve mentoring, tutoring, family events, parental education and test preparation. We will work with the students in the program for seven years, beginning at the middle grades and continuing all the way through their senior year in high school and enrollment in college. We are quite excited about this opportunity.
“This was a team effort, but Dr. Ibrahim was the tip of the spear as far as this grant is concerned,” continued Carter. “I am also appreciative to the entities at ATU that agreed to do in-kind matching. That was a strength in the evaluation of our grant application.”
Carter cited Dr. Heather Stefanski, ATU assistant professor of curriculum and instruction; Janet Wood, director of the ATU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs; and Kathleen Martin, grant coordinator in the ATU Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, for the roles they played in obtaining the grant.
The ATU GEAR UP office will be located on the Arkansas Tech campus in Russellville and will consist of a project director, advisors, office support, professional development coordinators and student success coaches.
“This grant and this program are perfectly aligned with Arkansas Tech’s mission of student access and student success,” said Dr. Adolfo Santos, ATU executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. “We are excited to be part of the GEAR UP program and to bring its many benefits to the residents of the Arkansas River Valley. This program is part of our institution’s broader effort to serve our community. Arkansas Tech exists to provide students with upward social mobility and the opportunity to improve their lives through education. That is exactly what we will achieve through the successful implementation of the GEAR UP grant.”
