U.S. Department of Education awards $1.7 million to Evergreen for education outreach

The U.S. Department of Education awarded The Evergreen State College's Upward Bound program a $1.7 million grant - allowing the college to continue a 31 year program that supports 90 high risk, low income first generation college students from the city of Tacoma and the Puyallup Indian Reservation. The program provides year-round academic support to help students meet high school graduation and college admission standards and be successful in college.

Evergreen's yearly award - $446,568 - was the second-highest award among the eleven Washington colleges and universities that received the federal funding. Evergreen Upward Bound, a part of the college's regional outreach, serves students at Chief Leschi, Foss, Lincoln, Mt. Tahoma, River Ridge, Stadium, and Wilson high schools. During the summer, the program hosts a six-week summer residential program at the college. "The college strives to provide access to a college education, including access for populations under-represented in the past. We are very pleased to continue a program which has been very successful in providing this to students who are willing to work for it," said Art Costantino, Evergreen's Vice President for Student Affairs.

The Upward Bound program is a part of the Department of Education's TRIO programs, aimed at supporting and motivating students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Upward Bound traditionally serves high school students from low-income families; high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree; and low-income, first-generation military veterans who are preparing to enter postsecondary education. During student surveys at Evergreen, forty percent of students indicated that their parents or primary caregivers have not earned a four-year degree.

For more information, go to www.evergreen.edu/upwardbound.