Upward Bound

Upward Bound at the University of Maine

The University of Maine is pleased to announce the recent five year TRIO Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math Science grant awards ($2.8 million) through the U.S. Department of Education. With a long successful history at the University of Maine starting in 1965, TRIO Upward Bound Programs have positively impacted the lives of thousands of high school students in their pursuit of postsecondary enrollment and graduation. Serving 127 Upward Bound students per year in thirteen high schools in Maine, the programs target students who from low-income families and/or families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree. In Maine, students’ family income continues to be the strongest predictor of college-going as compared to students’ gender, race, and ethnicity (Mitchell Institute, “Maine High School Graduates: Trends in College-Going,Persistence, and Completion” 2015).

Program Mission

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the mission of TRIO Upward Bound Programs mission is “to provide fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their precollege performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. Upward Bound serves: high school students from low-income families; and high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.”

For more information, visit the Department of Education.