Henderson State University has received $771,000 from AT&T to help expand its Southwest Arkansas College Preparatory Academy.
The program is a university-public school collaboration developed to reduce remediation rates and increase college attendance and graduation rates. The funds from AT&T will be used to hire additional educators and attract more students.
“We believe that every student has the potential to be extraordinary and the generous support from AT&T will allow us to serve even more students as we expand the program into other Arkansas high schools,” Glen Jones, president of Henderson State University, said in a news release. “Under the direction of Paulette Blacknall, this program has a remarkable track record of increasing college-going rates and retention while decreasing remediation rates.”
Henderson State’s SWACPA program was one of 30 recipients of the AT&T Aspire initiative, which focuses on school success and career readiness. In all, AT&T will dole out nearly $12.5 million.
Henderson State was one of more than 1,100 applicants nationwide.
“We are excited that Henderson State University’s Southwest Arkansas College Preparatory Academy was selected to receive this competitive award,” Ed Drilling, president of AT&T Arkansas, said in the release. “With this award, the academy will be able to help more students develop the skills necessary to graduate from high school ready for college or to pursue a career.”
SWACPA was founded in 2009.
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