New campaign encourages youths to attend college

SALT LAKE CITY — State higher education officials have announced a new campaign to encourage children in under-represented populations to consider going to college.

The Step Up campaign seeks to overcome barriers to higher education that some youths may face. The campaign also urges parents, educators, mentors and community leaders to encourage and inspire students to consider college.

Higher education officials say they hope the Step Up campaign will help them with their goal of having 66 percent of Utah's workforce with some form of post-secondary degree by 2020.

"In order for us to achieve our 'big goal,' we need to speak out to students, parents and adults and let them know that they can overcome any roadblocks throughout their lives," Commissioner of Higher Education Bill Sederburg said.

The campaign will include social media, television and radio advertising, and grass-roots initiatives, and will be directed to under-represented populations, such as youths in rural areas of Utah and female students, officials said.

The campaign is made possible through a federal grant through the U.S. Department of Education.

— Geoffrey Fattah