Message from the Director of Upward Bound

The Upward Bound Program works hard to close the achievement gap for low-income, first generation and disabled students and has made great gains in high school graduation rates. More importantly, TRIO Programs nationally have prepared low-income, first generation students to enter into Higher Education (through Upward Bound, Talent Search and EOC's). Once these students are enrolled in Higher Education, then Student Support Services and McNair Programs assist the students to stay in college and graduate, and move on and through advanced degrees.

TRIO Programs have always worked on opening opportunities; the problem is TRIO is only serving about 5-6% of the disadvantaged eligible students nationally. The TRIO programs work, they just need to reach more disadvantaged students. To quote Tom Mortenson, a colleague, "We have been moving into the human capital economy and only those people with collegiate education have been making it. The only thing more expensive than going to college is not going to college."