The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) is pleased to announce that Chane’l Marie Giddens has been named GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) Student of the Year by the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP).

Giddens, a rising junior at James Monroe High School in Rochester, will receive the award at the annual NCCEP conference in Washington DC on July 18, 2018. She is a member of the NYGEAR UP cohort sponsored by the Rochester Institute of Technology.  

“NYGEAR UP gives thousands of low-income students tools for college access and achievement, dramatically increasing their chances for future success and preparing them for the high demanding jobs of the future, said Dr. Guillermo Linares, HESC Acting President. We are thrilled that Chane’l’s achievements and enthusiastic participation in NYGEAR UP have been acknowledged with this prestigious award.”

Giddens said: “I am so excited and humbled to receive this award. Participating in NYGEAR UP has already made a profound impact on my life, helping me develop my leadership skills and exposing me to the possibilities a college education can provide. I look forward to continuing my involvement as I prepare for college.”

New York State’s $22.4 million multi-year GEAR UP grant, awarded in 2014 by the U.S. Department of Education, is administered by HESC. NYGEAR UP sub-grantees work with a cohort of academically at-risk students starting in the 7th grade and continuing through 12th grade.

NYGEAR UP Director Nona Donovan said: “Chane’l excels in many areas, proving that hard work and persistence pays off. Whatever path she chooses, she is determined to be successful and make a positive impact on the lives of others.”

A scholar and athlete, Ms. Giddens maintains a 3.5 GPA, is enrolled in Advanced Placement and honor courses, and is an active participant in co-curricular activities, including volleyball, softball, and cheerleading. Ms. Giddens was nominated for the Urban League of Rochester’s Black Scholar Program and National Honor Society. She is an alumna of the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership (HOBY) program, a global community of youth and volunteers dedicated to leadership, service, and innovation. She plans to earn a NYS Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation, attend the University of Rochester and pursue a career in medicine.

NCCEP is a national, nonprofit association committed to increasing academic achievement and access to higher education for economically disadvantaged students that works to support the federally-funded GEAR UP initiative. The GEAR UP Student of the Year is awarded each year at the NCCEP/GEAR UP Annual Conference to a student who exudes the passion and perseverance to effectively succeed in his or her quest to access and thrive in college.

About the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation   HESC is New York State’s student financial aid agency and a national leader in providing need based grant and scholarship award money to college-going students. At HESC’s core are programs like the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), numerous state scholarships, federal college access grants and a highly successful College Savings program. HESC puts college within the reach of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers each year through programs like these and through the guidance it provides to students, families and counselors. In 2016-17, HESC helped more than 354,000 students achieve their college dreams by providing more than $980 million in grants, scholarships and loan forgiveness benefits, including $917 million awarded through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).