Trinity University

The Office of University Communications
pr@trinity.edu
(210) 999-8406
Jun. 26, 2012

Upward Bound $1.8 Million Grant Renewed

Program at Trinity University helps prepare high school students for college

By Andrea Davis '12

SAN ANTONIO - The United States Department of Education has renewed the $1.8 million grant award to the Upward Bound program at Trinity University. Funding will continue through August 2017.

In September, Trinity's Upward Bound program will begin its 34th year under the direction of Simone Carnegie-Diaz. Trinity's Upward Bound program currently serves 82 students from high schools in the Harlandale and Edgewood school districts. According to Carnegie-Diaz, since the inception of the program in 1980 at Trinity, 51 percent of the program's graduates have successfully earned post-secondary degrees.

 "In the communities served by the Trinity Upward Bound program, only 8 percent of adults over the age of 25 hold a bachelor's degree," Carnegie-Diaz said. "Within these communities, the goal of college is courageous."

Ismerai Monreal '15 entered the Upward Bound program in 2009, and throughout her last two years in high school, the program offered her unforgettable experiences and the kind of preparation most people in her community never got on their own. 

"It helped prepare me not only what to expect but also how to expect it," Monreal said. "By having constant access to tools such as computers, calculators, school supplies, and most importantly tutor help, Upward Bound helped ease the transition to college."

Monreal will be a sophomore at Trinity University in the fall and works for the Upward Bound office at Trinity during the summer. She intends to double major in political science and communication, with the hopes of going to law school and eventually becoming a judge.

"I think the most important thing I can relate to any Upward Bound student is to really take advantage of everything the program has to offer," Monreal said. "That includes the staff. Trinity University Upward Bound has some of the most amazing people I have ever had the pleasure to meet."

Upward Bound participants receive a variety of services - free of charge - that build the skills needed for success. Services include academic advising, tutorials, standardized test preparation, and assistance with college admissions. Through monthly classes, tutorials and a six-week summer program, students work on improving grades and developing academic skills, participating in numerous educational field trips and college visits. As students enter their last two years of high school, Upward Bound advisors work closely to prepare participants for entrance exams, along with the admission and financial aid process.

According to Carnegie-Diaz, Upward Bound is now beginning recruitment for the 2012-2013 school year. All current eighth and ninth grade students in the Harlandale and Edgewood districts who are interested in attending college and need additional academic assistance are encouraged to call Upward Bound staffer Ingrid Morales at 210-999-7586 or click here.

Text provided by Andrea Davis of Farmington, N.M., who graduated from Trinity University in May 2012 with a degree in history and English. She was a student worker in the Office of University Communications.