The United Way of Grant County has awarded Indiana Wesleyan University a one-time grant of $19,081 that will fund enhancements of the Upward Bound program at IWU. Upward Bound is an academic college preparation program that serves Grant County high school students, specifically those identified as low-income, first-generation and historically minoritized.
To support and encourage its students to purse a college education, Upward Bound provides free academic support services and programming including:
- Year-round academic tutoring
- Bi-monthly academic advising meetings to ensure students are on track to graduate from high school
- Workshops regarding ACT/SAT preparation, financial literacy, college admissions, financial aid and leadership
- College visits
- Community service projects
- Cultural enrichment activities
Additionally, Upward Bound provides students with a small stipend to motivate them to focus on academics. This was implemented as a successful solution to many students struggling to attend Upward Bound’s programming as a result of working a part-time job.
However, due to the financial burden that COVID-19 has placed on many families, an increasing number of students are needing to work. The recent United Way grant will enable Upward Bound to offer students a higher stipend to encourage them in their academic journey while off-setting some of the financial burden they may feel.
The grant will also fund the ability to hire additional tutors as well as implement the necessary technology to promote better engagement with virtual workshops and programming.
“We are excited about this grant and, most importantly, the various ways it will positively impact our Grant County students in the Upward Bound program,” said Stenway Louve, director of Upward Bound. “These changes will further enable us to come alongside them with the support needed to succeed in high school and begin their college journey.”
For more information on Upward Bound at IWU, visit https://www.ubiwu.org/.