Tuesday, May 31 2011 9:59AM
Grants are helping rural Oregon residents attend college.
In rural areas of Oregon, poor access to education has been a significant problem. According to The Oregonian, Oregon Gear Up, a program administered through the state university system, is attempting to improve access and increase the chances of academic success in undergraduate education for rural students.
The source says the program, an acronym for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, has been expanded to 10 additional rural education districts, each of which has received $35,000 to $45,000.
The program can revitalize the resolve of rural children to attend college, the source suggests.
Additionally, the paper mentions the Oregon Student Assistance Commission, which uses federal grant funds to operate a similar program called Access to Student assistance Programs in Reach of Everyone.
Stephanie Carnahan, director of college access programs for the Oregon University System, told the source that the expansion program offers "a shot in the arm for 10 really low-income rural districts."
"Some form of post-secondary education is critical for living-wage jobs in rural Oregon," Carnahan says.
Due in large part to these rural
community development programs focusing on education, it seems the gap is closing between residents in rural Oregon and those in other community types when it comes to college attendance. The source says rural college attendance has even surpassed that of urban communities, with 60 percent of 2009 graduates continuing to higher education.