Today more than 1,000 Hoosier Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) students from around the state will be traveling to Vincennes University for VU's JAG Scholar Day. For most JAG students, the Vincennes University visit will be the first time they step onto a college campus. Many of these individuals will go on to become the first in their respective families to attend college. This exclusive campus visit is designed to give the students an in-depth look at all Vincennes University has to offer, and is an important step in their journey to a brighter future. First Lady Karen Pence will also be in attendance to address the students.
JAG is a multi-year dropout prevention program funded through grants provided by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. JAG’s mission is to keep at-risk high school juniors and seniors in school through graduation and to provide work-based learning experiences to prepare them for post-secondary education or for entering the job market. JAG students receive adult mentoring while in school and one year of follow-up counseling after graduation. Over the past eight years, Hoosier JAG students have achieved a graduation rate of approximately 90 percent, and 77 percent of students have gone on to post-secondary education and training, a full-time job, or into a military career. In that eight year period, JAG has grown from 12 programs to 116 throughout Indiana.
During the 2013 session of the Indiana General Assembly, legislators passed a version of Governor Mike Pence’s budget, which called for $12 million over two years to fund the dropout prevention program, effectively doubling the size. As a result, Indiana’s JAG program is now the largest in the nation.
More information about Indiana’s JAG program can be found at http://www.in.gov/dwd/JAG.htm.