Truman State University’s Upward Bound Project (UB) is a federal TRIO program designed to assist students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education (e.g., first in their family to earn a college degree, from income-eligible backgrounds). Our mission is to foster the development of necessary academic skills and personal motivation in eligible students to increase the rate at which students enter and complete postsecondary education.
Upward Bound’s vision is to empower and provide opportunities for all students to reach their full potential, positively impacting their families and communities with the shared values of education, growth, integrity, respect and responsibility. This vision is realized by the delivery of intensive services to participants at target schools in six Northeast Missouri counties on a year-round basis from the sophomore through the senior years in high school. Project participants meet after school weekly during the academic year and complete a college-preparatory summer academy on Truman’s campus each summer.
Benefits for Students
- Individualized assistance in weekly after school meetings at area target schools
- Tutoring in core subject areas
- Expense-paid college visits
- Advising on high school course selection for effective preparation for college
- Help developing effective time management and organizational skills, as well as improving note-taking and test-taking skills
- Mentoring by Truman students
- Exploration of career goals, relevant majors and college majors
- Assistance with college selection, application and financial aid
- Connections with positive college role models and other college-bound peers
- Experience living on and navigating a college environment as part of an on-campus summer college preparatory academy