Campus Update Ep. 22 | Director of TRIO Upwards Bound Program Amy Nemitz

Director of the TRIO Upward Bound Program, Amy Nemitz, gives us an update on SMSU's Upward Bound Program grant awards totaling nearly $3M from the Department of Education, and the program's ultimate goal: to get High school students into college, either a 2-year or 4-year school. 

The Mission of Southwest Minnesota State University's Upward Bound Program is to increase the college entrance and completion rates among our community's youth & inspire them to become responsible community leaders & contributors. Our program seeks to achieve this by instilling academic skills, motivation, and college readiness in our program participants. We will focus on the importance of "five wells".  SMSU's Upward Bound students will be WELL read, WELL spoken, WELL traveled, WELL dressed, and WELL balanced!

TRIO Upward Bound is a federal program funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The goal of TRIO Upward Bound is to provide participants with college preparation and opportunities that will enhance their ability to succeed in their higher education endeavors. The Upward Bound Program of SMSU serves Marshall High School, Yellow Medicine East High School, and Worthington High School grades 9-12. Participants in the Upward Bound program receive academic tutoring in all core subject areas from math and science to English and literature, as well as, additional opportunities to take part in college visits, environmental learning, cultural enrichment, and career exploration. In the summer, Upward Bound offers a 6-week program at SMSU where students take part in summer classes Monday-Friday and have planned trips to colleges, museums, environmental centers, and other destinations that offer educational and cultural experiences to broaden their understanding of the world they live in.

Upward Bound strives to assist underrepresented students in postsecondary education and offer them positive academic and cultural experiences that encourage the continuation of education beyond high school. It is the honor of the Upward Bound staff at SMSU to help students achieve their dreams and succeed in all they wish to do. The Upward Bound staff at SMSU have a passion for working with new generations of students and watching them thrive as they continue their participation in the TRIO Upward Bound Program.

For more information about the TRIO Upward Bound Program, contact the TRIO Office at Amy.Nemitz@smsu.edu or 507-537-7376