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With the addition of three new federally funded Upward Bound grants totaling more than $10 million over the next five years, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville East St. Louis Center (ESLC) has expanded its programs and services for low-income, first-generational college-bound students. 

According to ESLC Executive Director Jesse Dixon, the goal of the ESLC Upward Bound programs is to help people reach their educational and career objectives. “We have a long history of providing effective college access programs to high school students, and we are happy that we have received funding to build and expand upon that tradition,” Dixon said. 

The U.S. Department of Education administers the new ESLC Upward Bound grants, which are in effect for the next five years and are listed below. 

• Veterans Upward Bound Program  serves 120 adults in St. Clair, Madison and St. Louis counties:

 First generational or low-income students, who are also veterans, will have an opportunity to achieve their career and academic aspirations through the program. The program is based out of the SIUE ESLC and is working in partnership with the Office of Veterans Services on the Edwardsville campus. 

“The Veterans Upward Bound Program will offer intensive supportive services around college preparation, career and college exploration, financial-aid planning and the application and enrollment process to veterans in Illinois and Missouri, who are low-income and first generation college students,” said Johanna Wharton, director of Workforce Development and Strategic Partnerships and interim program director of Veterans Upward Bound. “These veterans may not see themselves as college eligible without the case management, counseling and tutoring that this grant will provide.” 

“We want SIUE to be one of several options to help veterans reach their goals,” added Dixon. “We think SIUE will be an excellent college option for many. If you want to take that GI bill and put it to a four-year college experience, SIUE can help.”

“I’ve recently learned that more than 50 percent of veterans do not utilize their GI bill,” said Kevin Wathen, director of Veteran Services at SIUE. “As a veteran advocate, I will be involved in helping reach veterans who can utilize the services provided. I also plan to bring veterans into the program who want to go to SIUE, and provide them with support to enroll, receive benefits and complete their education.” 

“We are very excited about the new resources this new program will bring to the community to help veterans,” said Wharton. “We know that 29.7 percent of Illinois veterans do not have a college degree and 25.7 percent of Missouri veterans do not  have a college degree, despite the fact that benefits are available to pay for tuition, housing and stipends in some cases to support veterans who want to attend college. We plan to educate veterans about how to access these resources and build the confidence needed to enroll in college and graduate.” 

“If a veteran’s need is more immediate,” said Dixon, “and he or she needs a training program to help them become a machinist, a medical assistant or pursue a career in the IT field, we’ve got that, too.” 

The ESLC’s Workforce Development Program has been one good way to help young adults and adults realize career goals and find high wage-earning jobs, according to Dixon. 

• Scholars Academy at East St. Louis Senior High School serves 60 students:

“What makes this different and exciting is that the entire program is at one single school during school hours,” said Dixon. “Our first three Upward Bound Programs have hours that include after school, Saturdays and summers. However, there are many students, such as athletes, who cannot participate in a program after school or on Saturdays at the East St. Louis Center.” 

 The program will start with 60 high school freshmen and sophomores and follow the same cohort group for four years. 

The Scholars Academy provides cost-free weekly tutoring, pre-collegiate instruction, counseling and academic advisement, workshops on test-taking, critical thinking, goal-setting and study skills. “We also offer information on scholarship and financial aid availability, provide assistance in completing college and scholarship applications, provide educational and cultural activities and give career guidance,” said Salim Kenyatta, Scholars Academy educational advisor and instructor. 

“We want to best prepare high school seniors for college by strengthening their English and math skills,” Dixon said. “Research shows that students who enter college prepared for college-level coursework are much more likely to complete college.” 

• Math and Science (Cahokia and Madison high schools) serves 60 students:

The Math and Science (CM) program starts with a cohort of 60 freshmen. During the school year, the program will be offered during the school day at both Cahokia High School and Madison High School. During the summers, the students will participate in a residential program on a college campus. 

“Math and Science (CM) will provide residential experience on a college campus for four consecutive summers, which is a powerful experience for potential first generational college students,” said Dixon. “The program helps them see themselves as college students and familiarize themselves with what life is like on a college campus. This great experience can make going to college more of an inevitability than an impossibility.” 

The ESLC has offered the following Upward Bound Programs for more than 50 years. 

• The SIUE Upward Bound EC/BEM program helps youth prepare for higher education and serves students from East St. Louis and Cahokia (EC), and Brooklyn, East St. Louis Charter and Madison (BEM), High Schools. Participants receive instruction in literature, composition and STEM subjects on college campuses after school, on Saturdays and during the summer. The quality services provided will prepare the students for successful high school completion and entrance into post-secondary programs. Upward Bound is a college-preparatory program designed to serve low-income and/or potential first-generation college students who are currently in grades 9-12.
• The SIUE Upward Bound Math & Science (ECM) program is designed to prepare participants for post-secondary education and motivate their exploration of science, mathematics and related education professionals. Participants receive tutorial instruction in science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), along with language arts, foreign language and more. The program also offers a six-week summer residential component, where University faculty members instruct introductory courses in STEM, language arts, foreign language and computer literacy. 

With a focus on empowering people and strengthening communities, the SIUE East St. Louis Center is dedicated to improving the lives of families and individuals - from pre-school through adult - in the Metro East. Head Start/Early Head Start and a charter high school are among the programs that offer the community renewed hope and an opportunity to reach educational, career and life goals. The Center also assigns first priority to encouraging, supporting and improving the educational success of the residents of East St. Louis and surrounding urban communities. The Center provides comprehensive programs, services and training in the areas of education, health, social services and the arts. 

Photos:
Shown are students who participated in previous SIUE Upward Bound EC and BEM programs at the East St. Louis Center.