Improving access to college for rural Tennessee students is the aim of a partnership between Vanderbilt University and the state of Tennessee that will bring more than 200 high school students, parents and school administrators to Nashville June 1-5.
"We have one goal for this partnership – increasing the percentage of Tennessee students who attend college," Timothy Caboni, associate dean for external relations and professional education at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College and chair of Peabody Professional Institutes, said. "Being a great state and a great university depend upon having a college-educated populace. This partnership is a win for Vanderbilt and a win for Tennessee."
The June 1-5 events include the Peabody Professional Institute for School Leadership, which will bring 38 principals, assistant principals, school directors, school counselors, superintendents and teachers from nine rural Tennessee counties to campus to learn about preparing students to attend and succeed in college.
"Effective instructional leadership is a vital part of school success. This institute will help strengthen school leadership," Deborah Boyd, associate executive director for P-16 initiatives at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, said. "Additionally, it will help build relationships among these K-12 communities and higher education that can lead to the sharing of knowledge and best practices and, ultimately, to more K-12 students succeeding in college."
The institute coincides with the GEAR UP TN Youth Summit, a two-day educational and cultural enrichment experience for over 200 students, parents and school administrators focused on college access, the college experience and Tennessee’s local and state government. Over the course of the summit, attendees will visit Vanderbilt University, Nashville State Community College, Tennessee State University, Belmont University and the state capitol building.
"Higher education is GEAR UP TN’s goal for all of Tennessee’s students. The summit will let students experience life on a campus while learning about colleges and financial aid options in Tennessee. It is our hope they will leave knowing that college is a realistic and affordable goal for each of them," Boyd said.
The students and administrators represent schools participating in GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) TN, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Education to assist state efforts to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Tennessee’s 2005-2010 GEAR UP project serves approximately 6,000 students per year in 47 schools in Campbell, Cocke, Grundy, Hardeman, Johnson, Lake, Meigs, Union and Wayne counties.
The Peabody institute is a partnership with GEAR UP TN, the Tennessee Department of Education, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and the Tennessee State Board of Education. Faculty from Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development, including Thomas Ward, Andrew Finch, Marcy Singer-Gabella and Ellen Goldring, will lead portions of the program.
The Peabody Professional Institute for School Leadership is one of four professional institutes hosted by Peabody College this summer. The others are Higher Education Management, Independent School Leadership and Academic Library Leadership. Peabody Professional Institutes are intensive learning experiences taught by Vanderbilt faculty and external experts for professional educators, administrators, directors, executives and managers from across the nation and around the world.
More information on the 2008 Peabody institutes is available at: http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/ppi.xml or by contacting Martha Teague at martha.teague@vanderbilt.edu or 615.343.6222.
For more information about GEAR UP TN, visit http://tinyurl.com/6dksmv.
Media Contact: Melanie Moran, (615) 322-NEWS
melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu