Last Updated on October 29, 2026 9:16 am
BOONE, N.C. — Appalachian State University’s Office of Rural Promise (ORP) is the awardee of a seven-year, $35 million GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The award marks the second consecutive $35 million federal grant App State has received in support of its GEAR UP program, allowing the university to serve more students and families across the western portion of the state.
GEAR UP is a federally funded college access program designed to increase the number of students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education immediately after high school. Through a wide range of research-based services to students, families and teachers, App State’s GEAR UP NC Appalachian Partnership aims to improve college-going mindsets, high school graduation rates and postsecondary enrollment rates.
Results from App State’s previous GEAR UP grants demonstrate the program’s effectiveness in improving educational outcomes. Among participating schools, 97% of students were on track to graduate by the end of ninth grade, and 98% graduated from high school on time, significantly exceeding the statewide average of 88%, according to 2024–25 data, the latest available.
“By helping prepare thousands of regional middle and high school students to thrive in higher education, GEAR UP is a prime example of the impact we’re most proud of at App State — concrete results for our young students and increased opportunity in the High Country and beyond,” said Dr. Christine Ogilvie Hendren, vice chancellor of research and innovation at App State.
She added, “This grant is a significant recognition of the hard work of App State’s GEAR UP and Office of Rural Promise, and it will allow even more students in our communities to visualize and realize the dream of a university education.”
The university administers multiple GEAR UP grants, and the most recent grant program, which began on Oct. 1, is called GEAR UP APEX (Advancing Prosperity through Education and eXcellence) Northwest. GEAR UP APEX Northwest includes 11 school districts and four partnering North Carolina higher education institutions, all working together to provide college and career services to approximately 14,000 middle and high school students and their families.
The 11 school districts, representing 31 middle schools and 27 high schools, are:
- Alleghany
- Ashe
- Avery
- Alexander
- Caldwell
- Mitchell
- Surry
- Watauga
- Wilkes
- Yadkin
- Yancey
The higher education partners are:
- Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
- Catawba Valley Community College
- Mayland Community College
- Wilkes Community College
The grant is led by ORP Executive Director Dr. James Beeler, ORP Deputy Director Corinne Smith and GEAR UP Director Doug Thompson. Grant writers include Beeler; Smith; Thompson; Dr. Jui-Teng Li, ORP associate director of research and evaluation; Rachel Nave-Lewis, GEAR UP assistant director of curriculum and instructional design; and Wes Calbreath, GEAR UP assistant director of college access services.
“The Office of Rural Promise is excited to expand our reach to more counties in Western North Carolina with this GEAR UP grant,” said Beeler. “Along with our K–12 and higher education partners, we share a passion for serving the region, uncovering possibilities and helping more students prepare to succeed after high school.”
App State has implemented federal GEAR UP programming nearly every year since 1999. Two previous GEAR UP grants conferred to App State — $29.8 million in 2020 and $35 million in 2024 — will run concurrently with the new grant funding, through 2027 and 2031, respectively, with the new grant supporting GEAR UP operations through 2033. With the addition of the new award, App State’s GEAR UP NC Appalachian Partnership grant programs serve approximately 42,000 students across 22 Western North Carolina school districts.
Decades of impact: Preparing NC’s future workforce and leaders
Beginning in middle school, GEAR UP students are encouraged to explore their interests, strengths and aspirations, opening new possibilities. The program provides students with the knowledge, experiences and resources needed to make informed decisions about their futures — whether pursuing a college degree, industry-recognized credential, apprenticeship, workforce training program or military pathway.
“There is extraordinary promise in the young people and communities of Western North Carolina,” said Smith. “Our work is about building on that promise by connecting students with career opportunities that help them discover just how much is possible. When we invest in young people this way, the impact reaches far beyond any single student or generation.”
GEAR UP students demonstrate academic achievement that surpasses state benchmarks. In one example, statewide data from 2024–25 showed 68% of ninth grade students in GEAR UP schools met proficiency standards on the Math I End-of-Course assessment, compared with 35% statewide, Li noted.
The latest award will build on this foundation, expanding opportunities for a new cohort of students and families while continuing App State’s long-standing commitment to increasing educational attainment and economic mobility across North Carolina.
“The opportunity to serve students, families and professionals across Western North Carolina has been the highlight of my educational career, and I’m overjoyed to share that responsibility with this amazing team and our growing GEAR UP community,” said Thompson.
Additional programmatic and support partners include myFutureNC; Participate Learning; National Postsecondary Strategy Institute; MasteryPrep; The Princeton Review; American School Counselor Association; Public School Forum of North Carolina; Texas Instruments; App State’s Mathematics and Science Education Center; Experimental Aircraft Association; CoBro Consulting; and App State’s Center for Analytics Research and Education.
To learn more about App State’s GEAR UP program and its community events and activities, visit ruralpromise.appstate.edu/cap/gear-up/.
