The initiative will transform academic and financial support for thousands of youths
Utah Valley University (UVU) has been awarded a seven-year, $31.5 million federal grant to oversee the GEAR UP Utah program that will help approximately 4,500 low-income students in the state to prepare for college.
GEAR UP is a federally funded, college readiness program that provides academic support, personal mentoring, financial literacy training, and scholarships to low-income high school students to help them address the additional challenges they face when preparing to attend college.
UVU will oversee the programs in Utah and Salt Lake Counties and will contract with Utah State University at Logan and Price, Weber State University, and the San Juan Foundation to run the program in their areas. Advisors from these organizations are assigned to middle schools as well as high schools in their surrounding geographic areas to provide academic support, personal mentoring, and financial literacy training to the students and their parents.
Since its creation in 2005, GEAR UP Utah has assisted 28,098 low-income students in Utah. Eligible students are selected based on where they live and income. GEAR UP Utah’s service region covers over 21,000 square miles and includes 16 school districts and 53 schools in 11 counties throughout the state.
Dr. Barney Nye, UVU’s vice president of Student Affairs who oversees the program, emphasized the grant’s significance and how it will impact many students’ academic experience. “This award highlights UVU’s long-standing commitment to higher education access for low-income youth in the state of Utah,” Nye reported. “It reinforces our willingness to roll up our sleeves to make sure these students have the best possible academic preparation, college and career guidance, and visioning opportunities to transform their educational dreams into reality.”
The U.S. Department of Education requires GEAR UP Utah to provide scholarships to eligle students based on participation and following federal financial aid guidelines. The holistic approach promotes individual student success through clear goal setting, exploring options, and strengthening academic self-confidence.
About Utah Valley University
Utah Valley University believes everyone deserves the transforming benefits of high-quality education — and it needs to be affordable, accessible, and flexible. With opportunities to earn everything from certificates to master’s degrees, students succeed by gaining real-world experience and developing career-ready skills. Utah Valley University continues to invite people to come as they are — and leave ready and prepared to make a difference in the world.
