Kish College receives Upward Bound Grant to help 60 DHS Students to Become College Ready

Kishwaukee College has been awarded a TRiO Upward Bound Grant and will be partnering with DeKalb High School to offer the program beginning in the 2017 – 18 school year. The grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, will provide funding to assist 60 DHS students to become college-ready each year over the five-year length of the grant.

Activities and services offered to participating DHS students through the Kishwaukee College Upward Bound Program will include academic advising, tutoring, college planning, financial literacy, career planning, cultural enrichment, leadership development, mentoring and wellness services. In addition, there will academic instruction opportunities in mathematics, laboratory sciences, composition, literature, and foreign languages to provide a solid academic foundation. There will also be a Summer Component with instruction in the core curriculum.

To be eligible, students must be enrolled in DeKalb High School, be between the ages of 13 and 19, and have a need for academic support in order to pursue a program of postsecondary education. All students must meet financial eligibility guidelines, be first-generation college students or students who are at high risk for academic failure.

TRiO Upward Bound is a federally funded program that provides fundamental support to high school students in their preparation for college. Upward Bound provides a variety of support services for eligible students. The TRIO Upward Bound grant awarded to Kishwaukee College provides $1.3 million over a five-year program cycle. The award for the first year of the grant is $257,500.

The Kishwaukee College Upward Program with DeKalb High School will begin in Fall 2017 with applications being accepted beginning in October or November. For more information, contact Nancy Partch, Dean of Student Services at Kishwaukee College, at 815-825- 9365 or at nancy.partch@kishwaukeecollege.edu.