From Classroom to College: The Story of Indiana GEAR UP

November 4, 2025

The examples discussed below highlight engagement done with external partners and communities. Some activities may contribute to engaged scholarships while others may focus primarily on enhancing research broader impacts, student learning gains, or community empowerment. The Power of Engagement Profiles feature community impacts that strengthen trust, build capacity, and increase the university’s relevance among the larger community.

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An organization that has had close ties with Purdue and continuously strived to show the merits of blending education with community needs was Indiana GEAR UP. Indiana GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) was a federally funded postsecondary education access grant. It was designed to deliver statewide programming to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education, especially in STEM fields. The program was a collaboration between Purdue University and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE). Previously funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the program has since ended due to the withdrawal of federal funding.

The Origins of GEAR UP

The beginning of GEAR UP at Purdue goes back to 2014 when Dr. Carla Johnson, a science education professor in the College of Education, applied for funding for the program. At the time, it had been a few years since funding for GEAR UP had come to Indiana. She received Purdue’s first grant in 2016.

With Purdue University’s College of Education, GEAR UP had provided essential resources and services to communities that made postsecondary education more accessible to all Hoosiers. This was accomplished by leveraging Purdue’s institutional strengths in STEM education and a thriving and regionally engaged College of Education.

Positive Impacts Across Indiana

The work that GEAR UP had been able to accomplish with the Purdue College of Education saw overwhelmingly successful results. From 2016 to 2024, GEAR UP served over 13,000 students, 3,000 educators and 10 school corporations throughout the state. Many of the students who joined the program in seventh grade are now juniors and seniors in college. Several have returned to their home communities to serve as summer camp teaching assistants for middle school GEAR UP students.

GEAR UP‘s Legacy

GEAR UP launched numerous successful initiatives in communities across the state, from summer camps for middle schoolers to classroom support for teachers. Two new initiatives were in development before the program ended. One aimed to increase students’ and families’ knowledge of postsecondary options, preparation and financing. The other was to grow the statewide capacity to support college and career readiness and postsecondary access and success. These initiatives were designed to deepen collaborationwith school and community leaders, educators, students and families.

Although the program has concluded, its legacy lives on in the thousands of students and educators it served. The impact of Indiana GEAR UP continues to be felt in classrooms, communities and college campuses across the state. Purdue University is proud to have been part of this transformative work.

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