Gear Up Grant Helps Students Navigate the College Experience

The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program (GEAR UP) program helps at-risk students in the Allentown, Harrisburg, and Norristown school districts navigate through high school. Thanks to a $100,098 grant from Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, East Stroudsburg University can continue the program for those students as they enter college.

Dr. Jessica Santiago, director of the Warrior Success Program at ESU, and Eric Lee and Academic Success Coach work with the 25 students enrolled in Gear UP. Dr. Santiago says this grant has come at the perfect time. “When we applied for this grant we planned to use the money on events that will help the GEAR UP students on campus. But, we had to rethink how to use these funds since COVID-19 became a factor. We now have virtual events that will build a community, but we’re also using funding on technology and textbook purchases.”

For Lara Hanna, a freshman from Allentown, Pa., the funding for technology is crucial as she’s been provided a laptop to help her continue her education at home during remote learning. But it’s not just the technology that she finds beneficial.

Hanna didn’t think she’d be able to continue GEAR UP when she entered college, and was happy to learn this grant would allow ESU to provide her with the resources she depended on in high school. “For me, the best resource provided through this program is just knowing I have the resource. I know I have someone I can count on to help me work through any problem. I have called and emailed Dr. Santiago so many times throughout my first semester and I learned a lot about navigating the world of remote learning. I feel confident about this new semester knowing I have someone in my corner all the time.”

For Santiago, it’s critical that at-risk students know there are resources. “I want to make sure these students know they can come to me or another academic support coach with any problems they may have. It doesn’t matter if it’s an academic problem or a personal problem, we’re here to help them through it.”

The GEAR UP program is critical to not only help students get into college, but now thanks to this grant, it is helping students stay in college. “Some students struggle academically, financially, and sometimes they have personal problems that prohibit them from completing their college degree,” Santiago said. “Programs like this help identify students who are at-risk and allows us to give them the resources they need academically, financially, and personally to make it through college.”

While her freshman year isn’t exactly how she imagined it due to the pandemic, Hana is eager to get to a campus. “Once we’re back on campus, I know I’ll be in Dr. Santiago’s office a lot.” Santiago is looking forward to it.

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