GEAR UP

Higher Education Partners

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Appalachian GEAR UP IHEs

Partnering with school systems to improve educational pathways and degree attainment in WNC

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What we do

Our work focuses on five main areas of postsecondary planning and preparation:

  •  strengthening academic preparation for postsecondary success  
  • providing intentional and comprehensive advising throughout students’ secondary and postsecondary careers
  • developing curricular and extra-curricular experiences that inform and prepare students to take their next step
  • improving students’ families’ ability to support their students through postsecondary planning and preparation
  • continually working within our own institutions to remove barriers to college access, persistence, degree attainment, and transfer

 

Who we are

 

Appalachian State University

Partnering school districts and higher eds: All
Primary GEAR UP contact: Dr. Eric Klein
Contact information:

Institutional website: www.appstate.edu

Tri-County Community College

Partnering school district(s): Clay County Schools

Primary GEAR UP contact: Silas Shields
Contact information:

  • 828.835.4248
  • sshields@tricountycc.edu

Institutional website: www.tricountycc.edu

AB Tech

Partnering school district(s): Madison County Schools

Primary GEAR UP contact: Dr. Fairley Patton
Contact information:

  • fairleypatton@abtech.edu

Institutional website: www.abtech.edu

Caldwell Community College

and Technical Institute

Partnering school district(s): Watauga County Schools

Primary GEAR UP contact: Dena Holman
Contact information:

  • dnholman@cccti.edu

Institutional website: www.cccti.edu

Mayland Community College

Partnering school district(s): Yancey County Schools

Primary GEAR UP contact: Monica Carpenter
Contact information:

  • mscarpenter@mayland.edu

Institutional website: www.mayland.edu

Southwestern Community College

Partnering school district(s): Swain County Schools

Primary GEAR UP contact: Cheryl Contino-Conner
Contact information:

  • cheryl@southwesterncc.edu

Institutional website: www.southwesterncc.edu

UNC Asheville

Partnering school district(s): All

Primary GEAR UP contact: Andrea Martinez
Contact information:

  • amartine@unca.edu

Institutional website: www.unca.edu

Western Piedmont Community College

 

Partnering school district(s): Burke County Schools

Primary GEAR UP contact: Jennifer Propst
Contact information:

  • jpropst@wpcc.edu

Institutional website: www.wpcc.edu

Wilkes Community College                         

 

Partnering school district(s): Wilkes County Schools

Primary GEAR UP contact: Bekah Gardner
Contact information:

  • rkgardner419@wilkescc.edu

Institutional website: www.wilkescc.edu