MACON — The Mercer University’s Upward Bound program has received a total of $3.3 million in grants from the United States Department of Education to continue its current program and to expand the program to other counties. The grant will continue the University’s 40-year-old program.
The current Mercer University Upward Bound program received continued funding of $2.3 million to continue to serve 155 Bibb County high school students. In addition, Mercer was awarded a new Upward Bound grant of $1 million to serve 50 high school students in four other Central Georgia counties. Both grants will be distributed over a four-year period.
“This is truly excellent news in light of increased scrutiny and rigorous grant funding approval process at the Federal level,” said Michelle Currie, director of TRIO programs at Mercer, which oversees the Upward Bound program. “We are very excited about this renewal, which allows us to continue our program for the students we work with already, and about the opportunities the new grant affords us to extend services to additional students in surrounding counties.”
Upward Bound is a four-year program for high school students who are low-income and potential first-generation college students. The program is designed to prepare the students for college by exposing them to a college environment while also working to generate the skills and motivation necessary for success in education beyond high school.
About Mercer University:
Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University has 7,300 students; 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies; major campuses in Macon and Atlanta; four regional academic centers across the state; a university press; two teaching hospitals — Memorial Health University Medical Center and the Medical Center of Central Georgia; educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta; an engineering research center in Warner Robins; a performing arts center in Macon; and a NCAA Division I athletic program. For more information, visit www.mercer.edu.
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