Twenty-one GEAR UP sophomores and juniors from Pittsburg High School recently traveled to Okmulgee, OK, to tour the campus of OSUIT (Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology). The day began with Joshua Childs, Prospective Student Services Coordinator, greeting the students and giving a brief overview of college life and the unique programs offered at OSUIT. After the introduction, Student Ambassador Codi Carr guided students on a walking tour of the campus. Students viewed the dormitories, Cowboy Café dining hall, Student Union, and Covelle Hall Wellness Center. Students explored the library, which provides tutoring, group study rooms, academic coaching, and Tech To-Go. Students met Trudy Book and Alfred Barres, who are instructors in the 3D Modeling and Animation Program. They presented portfolios of current college students and discussed the program’s requirements, courses available, and job placement. The tour continued with a visit to the Automotive Service Technology Department. Assistant Dean Adam Ellis escorted the students through the Ford education program, where they viewed various vehicles and motors used by the college students. Ellis explained that the Automotive Program is uniquely hands-on and explained that students alternate their instructional time between the classroom and a paid internship. Carr concluded the tour with a question-and-answer session. She reminded students to begin preparing for college now and to consider a technology school for post-secondary education. The field trip was sponsored by Eastern Oklahoma State College’s GEAR UP program. Eastern received a $17 million federal GEAR UP grant in 2017 and will serve more than 3,000 students in 39 area schools for seven years.