New GEAR UP Directors Named
Joni Slater and Jeannine Huenemann have been named the new directors for the Utah State University STARS! GEAR UP program. They replace Kristin Brubaker, who worked with the program since 2018 as the director of grants two and three.
Joni Slater has joined the USU STARS! GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) program as the director of grant three, effective April 1. USU STARS! GEAR UP grant three serves high school students at participating schools and was established through a seven-year, $16.4 million grant awarded to USU in 2017. The grant serves more than 3,000 students graduating from high school in 2023 and 2024.
Slater is a proud product of Ogden City School District. In 2006, she earned a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a minor in English as a Second Language from Weber State University. As an educator for Davis County School District, she served students for ten years prior to obtaining a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership and Administration. Joni has served as an elementary school administrator for the past six years.
Jeannine Huenemann has been named the director of grant two. She has worked as the communications manager with the USU STARS! GEAR UP program since 2018. As a first-generation student, she returned to school when her kids were young to earn a master’s degree in folklore at USU. She has a longtime commitment to education and telling student success stories.
Both Slater and Huenemann are committed to extending the reach of our college access programs to students at partner schools and districts, and supporting efforts that help students graduate from high school and ensure their college and career readiness.