Arkansas Tech University sociology and criminal justice honor society students have developed a college preparation outreach program that seeks to connect with troubled and at-risk youth.
The Get Ready In Time (GRIT) program provided letters of encouragement, information about applying for college, details about financial aid opportunities and ATU apparel to the 5th Judicial District Department of Youth Rehabilitation earlier this month.
“Research shows that when delinquent kids from underserved populations go to college and receive degrees, their likelihood of engaging in criminal behavior goes down and odds of success go up,” said Dr. Jason Ulsperger, advisor to Alpha Kappa Delta sociology honor society and Alpha Phi Sigma criminal justice honor society at Arkansas Tech. “GRIT involves activities that encourage delinquents with an interest in college to prepare early and recognize the importance of persistence.”
Ulsperger said ATU sociology and criminal justice honor society students have previously developed online training materials for probation officers and facilitated campus visits for individuals in the youth rehabilitation system.
Send e-mail to julsperger@atu.edu to learn more about Alpha Kappa Delta, Alpha Phi Sigma and their activities.
