Upward Bound program receives funding grant

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Part of a group from Upward Bound at Times Square in New York City, during an out-of-state cultural trip. OSU has coordinated the local program since 1999.

Upward Bound program at OSU receives funding grant

The U.S. Department of Education has approved a 1.3 million dollar grant over five years to continue funding for the Upward Bound program at Oklahoma State University. The program, coordinated by the Division of Institutional Diversity, serves 60 area high school students each year by providing academic assistance and preparation for higher education through weekly tutoring, monthly workshops held on the OSU campus and a six-week residential program during the summer, which is underway now through July 14.

Academic year workshops include sessions on career exploration, college entrance exam preparation, study skills, and cultural trips. The summer session includes six hours of class Monday-Friday, a job shadowing component, and an out-of-state cultural trip.

The Upward Bound program currently serves high school students from Cleveland, Pawnee, Pawhuska, Perkins-Tryon and Woodland. It is a product of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 in response to the War on Poverty and is targeted to serve first-generation college students. Upward Bound also funds a Bridge Program which is offered to students that graduate high school in May of each year. The students take two OSU classes during an eight-week summer session. Upward Bound has been coordinated by OSU since 1999.