TV Report on Upward Bound Funding

Bangor TV station WABI reported on UMaine’s Upward Bound program, which has been in existence for 46 years but due to a funding cut may now be eliminated. Upward Bound co-director Lori Wingo noted the program assists low-income, first-generation students for whom applying for college and financial aid can be intimidating. Becky Colannino, who is also a co-director of Upward Bound, said in the report that students who are involved in the program go on to college at a rate of 80 percent, compared for 30 percent for low-income youth in Maine. Current UMaine graduate students Ryan Pickering and Matt Leavitt were interviewed about the impact Upward Bound had on their lives.

Contact: Jessica Bloch, (207) 581-3777