Coker University awarded TRIO Upward Bound Grant to increase high school and college completions

HARTSVILLE, S.C. (courtesy coker.edu) — Coker University was recently awarded a federal TRIO Upward Bound (UB) grant for the 2022-2023 academic year, and the grant will be supported for up to five years. Coker’s UB program will serve 60 students at four local South Carolina high schools in Darlington, Dillon, Hartsville, and Marion. Students who complete Coker University’s TRIO Upward Bound program will be granted automatic admission to the university.

The Upward Bound program is one of eight federal TRIO programs designed to identify and provide services to students with the goal of ​increasing the rate at which participants complete high school and enroll in and graduate from college.

Coker University also has a TRIO Student Support Services grant, which provides academic support to 140 Coker students.

Coker University’s ambitious Upward Bound program provides a comprehensive approach to supporting students during a time of increased trauma following COVID and civil uncertainty. Coker will provide academic, social, emotional, and career support including weekly tutoring, academic advising, assistance with college admissions requirements, ACT/SAT preparation, and career development events and resources.

Included is a six week summer program where students will not only receive academic instruction but also participate in a signature experience with Cypress Adventures (CA), a local community organization that offers leadership training to students in middle school and high school. Cypress Adventures has developed a special leadership program for Upward Bound participants that is evidence-based and grounded in trauma-informed practices. This initial week-long learning experience prepares students for a productive five weeks of more traditional academic pursuits in the UB summer program and provides students with invaluable life lessons that will follow them through high school and beyond. Students can expect this program to begin in the next academic year.

“We are excited to receive a competitive TRIO Upward Bound grant that will allow us to increase programming that supports high school academic performance, retention, and graduation as well as college enrollment and completion,” said Dr. Susan Henderson, Converse University provost. “We look forward to our collaboration with Darlington, Dillon, Hartsville, and Marion High Schools.”

For more information about the TRIO programs at Coker University, please contact Coker University Provost Dr. Susan Henderson at shenderson@coker.edu.