Etsu gear up

East Tennessee State University received a $4.07 million Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education under the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP, CFDA 84.334) on October 1, 2025, with completion scheduled for September 30, 2026. GEAR UP provides six- to seven-year grants to states and partnerships to deliver academic support, counseling, mentoring, financial aid information, and related services to low-income secondary students to improve high school completion and postsecondary readiness. ETSU's award supports eligible low-income students, including those with disabilities, across its service region in Northeast Tennessee.

ETSU delivered GEAR UP services through six sub-awards to local educational agencies and community colleges, with sub-grantees including Northeast State Community College, Kingsport City Schools, Washington County Board of Education, Sullivan County Schools, Johnson County Board of Education, and Hawkins County Schools District. Each sub-grantee provided student and family programming, professional development, and designated Local Education Agency (LEA) leaders to support the initiative between January and April 2026. These coordinated efforts across multiple school districts and the community college system extended GEAR UP's college readiness programming to secondary students in Sullivan, Hawkins, Washington, and Johnson counties, addressing regional workforce development and educational equity objectives.