Medgar Evers College Upward Bound Program recently received a one-year $250,000 dollar grant from the Department of Education. This is part of a five year grant in the amount of $1,250,000 that the college will receive, pending satisfaction of program mandates assessed on an annual basis. Under the auspices of the School of Professional and Community Development, the program provides support services to local high schools students from Medgar Evers Preparatory High School, Clara Barton High School, Boys and Girls High School and The High School for Global Citizenship.

“I have worked with at-risk students for over a decade now and I am pleased to say that my experience at Medgar Evers has been the most rewarding one to me because of all the support the administration has given to this program and its participants,” said Upward Bound Director Sean Anderson. “Our young people have been able to explore a variety of professional, academic, cultural and social spaces due not only to the hard work and effort of our Upward Bound staff, but also because of the commitment on the part of the College to seeing our program run successfully.”

Upward Bound at Medgar Evers College assists low-income, first generation (neither parent has a college degree) high school students from the Central Brooklyn area. During the academic year, participants receive and participate in tutoring sessions, academic advising, campus visits, cultural excursions/events, mentoring, and college planning. In addition, participants attend the six-week Summer Academy where they take classes on the Medgar Evers College campus for the initial five weeks and then go onto take part in a residency at another college campus – typically based outside of New York.

Annually, fifty high school students in our community receive the much-needed guidance and support that prepares them for success in college and beyond.

Photo Caption: Upward Bound Students at Virginia State University for their Residency