TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The NCAA has awarded more than $1.2 million in initiative grants to 13 NCAA Division I schools to boost academic programs and initiatives that will help student-athletes earn their degrees. Indiana State was one of those institutions, receiving a $93,000 AASP grant from the NCAA for 2021-22.
 
The athletics department will use the NCAA grant in four key areas within the Academic Enrichment Center: technology, professional development, life skills and renovations throughout the academic center.
 
"Being awarded the NCAA Accelerating Academic Success Program grant is going to provide resources to enhance our Student-Athlete Services unit as a whole. We will focus on four main initiatives – Renovation & Facility, Technology, Staff Professional Development, and Life Skills," said Indiana State Student Athlete Success Coach Brooke Young. "We will be making significant facility upgrades to our current Student-Athlete Support Center, providing new and innovative technology for our student-athletes, providing staff with professional development opportunities, and implementing new life skills programming that will support our holistic approach to student-athlete well-being. The impact of the NCAA AASP Grant will be felt for years to come."
 
As part of the AASP, the NCAA offers grants to eligible schools to assist in creating programming and systems that will further academic success. There are two tiers of grant funding for eligible schools — comprehensive grants (multiyear) and initiatives grants (single year). As of August 2020, the program has funded 64 grants.
 
When choosing grant winners, the AASP selection committee considers various criteria, including presidential oversight, involvement of key staff, goals identified by the school, demonstrated sustainability of the initiative, the school's history in the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Program and the school's infractions history.
 
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