Rusty Brown: Upward Bound alum gives back to transformative program
In the early 1990s as a student at Belfast Area High School, Rusty Brown (‘94) admits that he was “floundering” somewhat on his educational journey. At a particularly low moment, coming off a three day out-of-school suspension, a guidance counselor suggested that he might be a good candidate for Upward Bound (UB).
Established by the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and later the Higher Education Act of 1965, UB is part of a cluster of federally funded U.S. college readiness and outreach programs, known as TRIO programs, which are designed to identify and provide services for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. UB is aimed specifically at students who will be the first in their immediate family to attend college.
Following the recommendation from his guidance counselor, Brown applied for and was accepted to the program, offered through the University of Maine, and participated in his first classic Upward Bound summer program in 1992.
“After that first amazing summer experience, I went from floundering to being on the Honor Roll for the rest of high school,” Brown said. “I participated enthusiastically in every UB event and summer program until I graduated [high school] in 1994.”
Brown, now the director of UMaine’s UB programs, entered the university as a history major, eventually graduating with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 1998 and a master’s in counselor education in 2001.
Without UB, he says he would have been “severely underprepared in every basic skill set imperative for all college students’ success.” He credits the program with teaching him prioritization and time management skills and helping him develop the confidence to approach instructors with questions during class and office hours.
“Upward Bound taught me financial literacy skills and how to navigate the complexities of applying for and receiving federal student aid, how to actively seek scholarships to help supplement my college costs and to reduce my overall college debt,” said Brown. “My college success is because of the blood, sweat and tears I put into my time at the University of Maine, however UB prepared me to focus those energies and efforts to be successful.”
In college, Brown worked as a summer staff member and later a graduate assistant with UMaine’s UB program. From 2001-12, he was the UB program coordinator and returned as the academic coordinator from 2018-23. Since 2023, he has served as the director of Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science at UMaine. All told, he has worked for the program for 23 years.
“My time as an Upward Bound student set the stage for my personal and professional success,” Brown said. “The lessons I learned then, and still carry with me today, have guided my work as a professional, and I can wholeheartedly say UB was, and continues to be, the inspiration that leads me to do good work in my part of the world. It has been my privilege and pleasure to call myself a UB alum and UB staff, and I am eternally grateful to have had these guiding experiences in my life.”
The following Q&A has been edited for clarity and length.
What was the most interesting, engaging or helpful part of your Upward Bound experience?
During my summer programs we had three amazing history/civics teachers who held “mock trials” at the end of every week of instruction. The students would be divided into two different groups: the “prosecution” and “defense” counsel for historical figures that coincided with our learning material. I absolutely could not have enjoyed anything more than one week “defending” Robespierre and the next week “prosecuting” Sarah Good as we studied the Salem Witch trials. It was not just the thrill of debating (which I truly enjoyed) but the skill set required to suspend your own personal beliefs and values (I did not believe that what happened to Sarah Good was right and/or just, for example) in order to examine an issue from all perspectives to develop a broader understanding of any topic. These history classes sparked a previously unknown academic fervor in me.
Did you work closely with any mentors or Upward Bound staff members who made your experience in the program better? If so, who were they and how did they do that?
Becky Colannino, the retired UB director at UMaine, was the UB counselor who would visit my school and whom I would have the vast majority of my individual academic sessions. I remember Becky using the phrase “talented underachiever” in some of our meetings to describe the potential she saw in me as a scholar. These were the exact words I needed to hear. In a compassionate way, she let me know that I was creating the biggest barrier to my success and that if I was willing to walk a different path I could create more opportunities for myself. Becky also validated the tough times I was going through in high school being raised by a single mom who did the best she could with what she had but who struggled with both mental health and alcohol addiction. The validation of these experiences were always coupled with holding me accountable for my academic performance. She let me know that success was within my grasp if I was willing to work hard to overcome the challenges of “the life I was given” and lay the foundation for “the life I was willing to work for.” Becky helped me believe in myself and with every new learning experience Upward Bound put in front of me, I was more ready and willing to accept new challenges!
What’s the most memorable moment from your Upward Bound experience?
There are many, many great memories from my time in Upward Bound, but if I was to choose one that stands out it would be a group trip to Boston during the summer between graduating high school and starting at UMaine. That summer is called the “Bridge” summer for students who choose to participate. I had never been further than Conway, New Hampshire where my great aunt lived, and I remember so vividly driving over the Tobin Bridge and seeing Boston for the first time. It was magical seeing this city of possibilities in front of me and the hope it inspired (and a little anxiety too) was thrilling. We toured Newbury College, ate at a German restaurant, went on the Liberty Walk and saw the science museum and the aquarium. My family could never afford a trip like that, and I felt like that one weekend in July of 1994 I saw more of the world than any time in my previous 17 years. I keep a picture from that weekend handy and am still in touch with the other UB students in that picture. What a pleasure it has been to follow their stories and to see their success!
As a former Upward Bound participant yourself, what fulfilment do you get from working with Upward Bound students today?
It is a privilege to work with these talented students who are willing and wanting to go out of their way to make a difference in their own lives! Our program is voluntary, so every one of our participants has made the choice to seek additional support to be successful in preparing for, applying to, and enrolling in a college educational path of their choosing.
How do you approach mentoring young people who participate in Upward Bound?
I’ve heard it said that “patience is a virtue,” and this is the foundation of the approach I employ when working with high school students. Just about all of the academic and pre college skill building that Upward Bound engages in with our students is very new to them, and so it is important to show them patience as you help them start to “help themselves.” We are introducing them to the possibility that they can go to college if they choose, which is often a foreign world to them and their families. There can be a lot of anxiety about being the first in your family to go to college, so patiently helping students prepare for the differences they will encounter when they go to college is important as well. Collegiate success happens both in the classroom and outside of it. We do our best to make sure they are as prepared as possible to do well with their academic work but also have as much skill in knowing how to advocate for themselves with vital college departments, such as financial aid, the business office and more.
Is there anything else you think people should know about Upward Bound?
We have the privilege of working with some of our students for the entirety of their high school career, so that gives us a lot of time to develop trust-based relationships. Upward Bound programs also assist our partner schools by providing individualized, pre college guidance to our participants — increasing their capacity to help all of their students by lessening their workload.
Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu