2. GEAR UP

Profile Type: GEAR UP

Doug Thompson

Doug Thompson

March 2, 2026 • 10:24 am

About Doug Thompson is the Director of GEAR UP APEX, a $35 million U.S. Department of Education grant initiative serving rural students and educators across ten school districts in western North Carolina. In this role, he leads and manages grant services and...
Kathryn Watson, Ph.D.

Kathryn Watson, Ph.D.

March 2, 2026 • 10:13 am

About Dr. Kathryn Watson serves as the Assistant Director of Research & Evaluation for Appalachian State University’s GEAR UP program, a federal initiative dedicated to increasing college access and success for students in Western North Carolina. She brings over a...
Corinne Smith

Corinne Smith

February 27, 2026 • 4:08 pm

About Corinne serves as Deputy Director of College Access Partnerships (CAP) and Director of GEAR UP at Appalachian State University.  At Appalachian, Corinne previously served as coordinator of academic initiatives, where she was instrumental in growing the...