The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a $2.2 million Rural Postsecondary Economic Development (RPED) grant to College Access Partnerships (CAP) at Appalachian State University. The program entitled On Ramp Appalachia will work to help students make the transition from high school to community college.
The scope of the grant includes four community college partners and their corresponding school districts currently affiliated with Appalachian GEAR UP and Appalachian State University Public School Partnership and will serve nearly 2,000 rural students in 11th grade through their sophomore year of college. MyFutureNC, Participate Learning, The Hunt Institute, and the High Country Workforce Development Board serve as ongoing advisors and will support the mission of the project.
On Ramp aims to promote increased access to postsecondary education and workforce development particularly for students in rural areas, helping students who do not have college and career plans to identify their pathway to college and careers, and increasing college graduation rates.
Director of CAP Operations and Appalachian GEAR UP, Corinne Smith says, “This grant was a very intentional step toward our vision of bringing more resources to the students of western North Carolina to improve educational outcomes. We are thrilled to support the community colleges in the area, recognizing their pivotal role in postsecondary access and as catalysts of economic development in our communities.”
The program is slated to begin in the 2023-2024 academic year.
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