By OBSERVER Newsroom
Building on the university’s success in boosting enrollment, Sacramento State President Dr. Luke Wood last week announced a new partnership with the Armstead Academic Project, co-founded by NFL star and Sacramento native Arik Armstead.
Sac State has teamed up with dozens of high schools and community colleges to make it easier for students to move forward, resulting in a 3.1% increase in enrollment that made last fall’s entering class the largest in Sac State’s 78-year history.
A graduate of Pleasant Grove High School in Elk Grove, Armstead, a 6-foot-7, 280-pound defensive end for the Jacksonville Jaguars, was named the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
He and his wife, Dr. Melinda Armstead, launched the project in 2019 to improve education equity and increase graduation rates for youth in underserved communities. They’ve already helped upwards of 4,500 underserved youth in Sacramento, the Bay Area and Jacksonville, Florida.
According to the Armstead Academic Project website, the program provides social support in after-school settings as well as community resources. It also organizes college visits.
The new partnership is designed to increase Armstead Academic Project students’ awareness of the majors, resources, and experiences Sac State offers, and provide eligible students guaranteed admission into the university.The Armstead Academic Project, 3053 Freeport Blvd. No. 125, can be reached through its website, armsteadproject.org.
Support for this Sacramento OBSERVER article was provided to Word In Black (WIB) by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. WIB is a collaborative of 10 Black-owned media that includes print and digital partners.