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Gear UpVirginia State University is pleased to be one of the partners of SCHEV's GEAR UP/ACCESS Virginia Pre-college Program. GEAR UP is an acronym that means Gaining Early Awareness and Retention in Undergraduate Programs. Statewide, the GEAR UP program will serve about 4,800 students at various universities in the state of Virginia. The focus of GEAR UP encompasses a single purpose: "to increase the rate at which low-income Virginia high school students enroll, persist, and succeed in college and to ensure that the rate of low-income students entering and succeeding in college equals the rate of middle-and high-income students." GEAR Up provides comprehensive early intervention services, as well as incentives such as scholarships. Research indicates that there are three broad barriers to college attendance by low-income students: the need for increased academic readiness, the need for increased awareness about college and financial aid, and the need for increased scholarship funds. To this end, the GEAR UP program at Virginia State University has constructed a plan that will assist in providing a program that will address the educational, informational, and financial needs of students to encourage college attendance. Preliminary implementation plans and program activities began in the fall. In addition to in school activities a summer college campus enrichment programs is planned to build upon pre-collegiate awareness. Seventy-five rising ninth grade students from Petersburg, Nottoway County, and Cumberland County are scheduled to participate in this year's activities. The educational focus is in the disciplines of Foreign Language, Math, and English. Computer, Drama and Music classes are also included in the teaching curriculum for the 2002 academic year. Several motivational speakers are scheduled to address the student body, and an additional academic feature includes several field trips. GEAR UP staff at the Petersburg, Nottoway and Cumberland school districts is responsible for determining what students are selected to participate in the program. For more information regarding the GEAR UP Program at Virginia State University please contact Dr. Freddy Thomas via telephone at 804-524-5489 or by e-mail at fthomas@vsu.edu |
