UT Arlington College of Education and Health Professions awarded state grant to strengthen work of GO Centers

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has awarded a $200,000 grant to The University of Texas at Arlington to enhance its high school-based college readiness offices, also known as “GO Centers.”

Now in its fifth year of operation, UT Arlington has one of the largest such programs in Texas.

“The THECB support that we receive is critical to helping all students find their educational path upon high school graduation, including those who may have at one point or another not considered college as an option,” said Carla Amaro-Jiménez, assistant professor of bilingual/ESL education in the College of Education and Health Professions and director of the Pathways to College Access and Career Readiness Program that oversees the GO Centers.

“This funding will help us ensure that our mentors will continue to provide the information, tools and resources these students and their families need to make those educational goals a reality,” Amaro-Jiménez said.

UT Arlington has 20 GO Centers at schools within five area school districts – Arlington, Grand Prairie, Mansfield, Everman and Fort Worth. UT Arlington undergraduate students known as the “G-Force” staff the centers. Over the past five years, UT Arlington has received more than $930,000 in THECB funding for its efforts.

Jeanne Gerlach, dean of the UT Arlington College of Education and Health Professions, said the GO Centers provide students and parents with direct access to college and financial aid information and at a time that is more critical than ever.

“Our collegiate mentors have the opportunity to guide students and encourage the pursuit of a college degree. This initiative continues our mission to have a positive impact in our partner high schools and the community,” Gerlach said.

Amaro-Jiménez points to the program’s growth as an example of its impact. The percentage of students who visited UT Arlington’s GO Centers grew more than 300 percent between 2011 and 2013.

UT Arlington College of Education & Health Professions

GO Centers are among the initiatives that stemmed from the THECB’s Closing the Gaps by 2015 initiative. The community-managed, prospective college student centers promote college awareness and work to create a college-going culture from high school and other campuses.

For more information about UT Arlington’s Pathways Program or their GO Centers, contact Carla Amaro-Jiménez at 817-272-3346 or amaro@uta.edu.

The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of more than 33,300 students and more than 2,200 faculty members in the heart of North Texas. It is the second largest institution in The University of Texas System. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more.

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Media contact: Bridget Lewis, Blewis@uta.edu, 817-272-3317

The University of Texas at Arlington, www.uta.edu

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