Students Graduate from GEAR UP U!

July 2010

In June, 79 students participated in the first West Virginia GEAR UP U! Summer Academy at Concord University. The four-day, three-night academy allowed rising high school freshmen from West Virginia GEAR UP's ten-county region to experience life as college students, explore career paths and set goals for the future.

Students participated in five academic classes, one physical fitness class, college mentoring and leadership activities. The academy allowed the students to learn about life on a college campus and provided insights on how to improve personally and academically. At the completion of the academy, students were presented with a $250.00 scholarship in the form of a book voucher from Concord University for students who enroll at the University for the Fall 2014 semester.

West Virginia GEAR UP is a federally funded grant program aimed at helping students plan, apply and pay for education and training beyond high school. The grant serves students in ten high-need counties, including Boone, Clay, Lincoln, McDowell, Mingo, Roane, Summers, Webster, Wirt and Wyoming. The program is housed under the West Virginia higher Education Policy Commission.
The Commission is the coordinating body for the state's four-year public college and universities.

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Additional Information and Resources

Students share their GEAR UP U! experience via video and letters