JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) - East Tennessee State University (ETSU) was awarded a $29 million grant to expand educational opportunities for rural students.

The grant will allow ETSU to launch its GEAR UP Partnership. The university stated in a news release that the initiative is designed to expand educational opportunities for students across Northeast Tennessee.

The award is funded through the U.S. Department of Education and will support more than 5,000 middle school students in Northeast Tennessee school districts.

“This extraordinary program will reinforce ETSU’s deep commitment to advancing college access and supporting first-generation and rural students,” ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland said in the release. “It builds on our university’s longstanding leadership with federal TRIO

See Full Page