APSU Mondays: Upward Bound students hosted, Rural Tech judging

Courtesy of APSU
·2 min read

Here's the latest news from Austin Peay State University.

Tri-County Upward Bound empowers students for college success

School may be out for summer, but Tri-County Upward Bound (TCUB) students from Houston, Cheatham and Stewart county high schools recently spent six weeks living on campus taking classes to prepare for the college experience.

The free program, provided since 1998 through federal grant funding, supports low-income or first-generation college students. From core subjects like math to electives like 3D printing, there are plenty of opportunities to learn.

Stewart County High School student Semeria Eyler works on a 3D printing project during APSU's Tri-County Upward Bound program.
Stewart County High School student Semeria Eyler works on a 3D printing project during APSU's Tri-County Upward Bound program.

“Many of our students have not experienced things outside of their communities,” said Melissa Conwell, director of Tri-County Upward Bound. “The experience of being away from their parents and their family for a long time is significant, and they gain that sense of independence and responsibility as college students.”

Conwell said the program is designed to treat participants like college students, which means they live in the residence halls and choose their class schedules.

Blue Tinsley, an academic coordinator for Tri-County Upward Bound, leads a 3D printing class.

One of the more popular course offerings is 3D printing — a recent addition that allows students to explore computer-aided design (CAD). Blue Tinsley, an academic coordinator for TCUB, began teaching the class in 2022, shortly after graduating from APSU.

Professor serves as judge for Rural Tech Project at White House

APSU's Dr. Cheryl Lambert judged the Rural Tech Project at the White House.
APSU's Dr. Cheryl Lambert judged the Rural Tech Project at the White House.

Dr. Cheryl Lambert, an associate professor and the coordinator of the Center for Rural Education, visited the White House on July 12 as part of her judging responsibilities for the Rural Tech Project.

The Rural Tech Project, funded through the U.S. Department of Education, is meant to connect innovative educators with the means to implement technology education programs that might typically be out of reach. These educational projects bring technology-focused education into rural classrooms at a time when this competency is increasingly important in the workforce. Lambert, a department chair in the Eriksson College of Education, was personally invited by program administrators to serve as a judge.

Lambert joined a panel of judges to evaluate five finalists for the $100,000 Rural Tech Project prize. Other judges included K-12 education, nonprofit and industry experts with ties to technology education, workforce development and technological innovation.

These competency-based distance learning programs were selected as the best from 63 submitted proposals from rural high schools and local educational agencies from 34 states. Phase 1 judging of the Rural Tech Project occurred in Fall 2020, with each of the five finalists receiving $100,000. Each team received virtual resources, as well as local support and mentorship, to launch their programs for a two-year period.

Finalist were showcased in the Indian Treaty Room at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House grounds, each team presented their program and outcomes from the implementation. The grand prize winner will be announced in Fall 2023.

APSU Mondays content is provided by submissions from APSU News and Communications department.

This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: APSU Mondays: Upward Bound students hosted, Rural Tech judging