A grant from the U.S. Department of Education funding the Upward Bound program at Greenville Technical College (GTC) has been renewed for a five-year period. GTC will receive $1.5 million over five years to serve qualified students at Berea, Carolina, and Southside high schools.
The program identifies, selects, and assists low-income high school students who have the potential to be the first in their families to complete a college degree. Upward Bound provides fundamental support to participants during high school, during their preparation for college, and during their higher education pursuits. The goal of the program is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.
Services and activities include supplemental instruction in composition/literature, math, laboratory science, and Spanish; advising and assistance in selecting the appropriate secondary and post-secondary courses; ACT/SAT preparation; financial literacy education; college admissions assistance; assistance in filling out and securing financial aid to attend college (FAFSA, state grants, student loans, and scholarships); college tours; cultural activities; mentoring; and tutoring.
The program is divided into an academic component and a summer component. During the academic component, students attend sessions at Greenville Technical College every other Saturday. During the six-week summer component, the students have typically participated in team-building activities, toured colleges and businesses, and collaborated on a cultural diversity project.