Indianapolis, IN – The NCAA announced Austin Peay State University (APSU) is one of 13 Division I schools to receive an Accelerated Academic Success Program (AASP) grant for the 2022-23 academic year.
This marks the second-consecutive year and third time in the last five years the athletics department has received the grant. Austin Peay is one of 10 repeat recipients of the grant.
The grant will fund face-to-face tutoring outside of campus business hours, providing an opportunity to support Governors’ student-athletes, particularly in football and men’s basketball, in numerous ways while simultaneously helping improve APR and retention rates. The tutors will assist in four key subject areas – Science, Math, English, and History.
The NCAA annually awards more than $1 million in AASP grants to colleges and universities with limited resources to help boost academic programs and initiatives, which tie to graduation and the overall success of its student-athletes. Most schools that receive funding are in the Football Championship Subdivision, though some programs do not sponsor football.
“We could not be more excited to be selected to receive this prestigious grant three of the last five years,” Austin Peay State Vice President and Athletics Director Gerald Harrison commented. “I especially want to thank Katie for all of her hard work to make this a reality. We are constantly leveling up in the area of student-athlete welfare, and this grant will help us further expand our ability to best support our student success division, and most importantly, our student-athletes.”
The AASP was established in 2012 by the NCAA Executive Committee, which is now the Board of Governors. AASP schools may request up to $100,000 in single-year grants. Schools are required to match at least 20 percent of the funds and provide a detailed explanation of how the funds will be used. The grants can be used toward progress toward the benchmarks in the Division I Academic Performance Program, which ensures a campus environment that supports education and raises the academic success level for student-athletes.
“We are excited to announce and congratulate the 2022-23 recipients of the Accelerating Academic Success Award,” said Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement. “Previous grant recipients used the funding to make significant strides toward enhancing their student-athlete services and enriching the student-athlete experience. Each campus recipient clearly stated a commitment to invest in resources and to evolve services to support student-athletes’ educational experience and their academic success.”
Schools have used the grants in a variety of ways, including the renovation of academic support areas, tutoring, training, technology support, summer school aid, professional development of the academic staff, student-athlete support and life skills development. Schools have also requested funds to aid with student-athlete mental health, which could correlate to their academic success.
The NCAA also sponsors an AASP Student-Athlete Career Development Award honoring two student-athletes from AASP schools each year.
The 13 recipient schools are:
- Austin Peay State University**
- California State University, Northridge**
- Cleveland State University*
- Coppin State University**
- Delaware State University*
- Indiana State University**
- Nicholls State University**
- Norfolk State University**
- Southeastern Louisiana University*
- Saint Peter’s University**
- Tennessee State University**
- Texas Southern University**
- University of Tennessee at Martin**
*first-time recipient /**repeat recipient
