The U.S. Department of Education announced Central College will receive two Upward Bound grants totaling $992,155. The grants will help income-eligible students, who would be the first members of their families to earn degrees, prepare for and enroll in college. Central has a rich history with this federal program. Central received its first Upward Bound grant nearly 60 years ago in 1966. Central began receiving the second program’s funding in 2017.
Upward Bound, a federal TRIO program, is an intensive intervention program that prepares students for higher education through various enrichment courses. At least two-thirds of the students in each local Upward Bound program are from low-income economic backgrounds and families in which neither parent has a bachelor’s degree.
Many Upward Bound alumni have achieved remarkable success, among them Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis, Hall of Fame NBA player Patrick Ewing and correspondent for ABC News John Quiñones, who attended Central’s Upward Bound summer program in June 2022.
“I am so excited to continue the TRIO Upward Bound legacy here at Central for another five years,” says Kristin Lewis, pre-college TRIO director. “Our students are excelling in and out of the classroom. They enroll in college and earn degrees that help break the cycle of poverty within their families.”
Campus-based Upward Bound programs provide students instruction in literature, composition, mathematics, science and foreign language during the school year and the summer. Upward Bound also provides intensive mentoring and support for students as they prepare for college entrance exams and tackle admission applications, financial aid and scholarship forms.
“Upward Bound at Central is a life-changing experience that allows students the opportunity to know they can be successful in college,” says Carol Williamson, vice president for student development. “The practical preparation and resources combined with the sense of empowerment is a powerful combination. Central provides the foundation for a lifetime of success.”
TRIO projects are in every state and territory in the nation. Central currently administers two other TRIO programs, Talent Search and Student Support Services.
Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, four-year liberal arts college. Central is known for its academic rigor and leadership formation and for cultivating diversity of thought and culture through the arts and sciences, professional fields of study and experiential learning.