BOCA RATON – Florida Atlantic University’s Upward Bound program has been awarded a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant, to be disbursed over the next five years, will serve 63 students at four Broward County high schools: Blanche Ely, Boyd Anderson, Coconut Creek and Dillard.
“I am very proud of the success we have had in FAU’s Upward Bound program, and our recent award of a new grant for $1.3 million. This investment in our program is a reflection of the improvement we have made in the lives of dozens of low income and first generation college students,” said Harold Ford Jr., Ph.D., project director of Upward Bound.
“Because of the vision of FAU’s senior administrators Drs. Brown and King, we were successful in being awarded a grant that expanded our program, while nearly 20 percent of other programs lost funding. I am very confident that as Upward Bound grows we will continue to improve the lives of countless families and the community as a whole.”
The main goal of the grant is to increase high school and college graduation rates of low-income students and/or those who would be the first to graduate in their family from college. This grant represents FAU’s commitment to public engagement and the promotion of academic and personal development.”
By providing afterschool tutoring, college prep courses, college tours and exposure to cultural enrichment activities, Upward Bound helps students graduate from high school, be admitted to and graduate from college.