Katko: Le Moyne College gets first installment of federal funding for Upward Bound program

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Le Moyne College more than $388,000 in federal funding through the Upward Bound program.

The funding is the first installment of a program “that is intended to last five years, and will total just under 2 million dollars,” the office of U.S. Representative John Katko (R–Camillus) said in a news release issued Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Education allocated the funding so that Le Moyne can continue providing Upward Bound services to 84 low-income, first-generation students enrolled in the Syracuse City School District at Corcoran, Henninger, and Nottingham High Schools, according to Katko’s office.

The Upward Bound program provides enrolled students with academic advisement, tutorial services, mentoring support, counseling services, leadership development, parental and guardian support and engagement, exposure to cultural events and academic programs, college visits, and assistance with college admission and application procedures.

The Syracuse City School District is the fifth largest school district in New York State, serving an “economically depressed city that experiences a high level of poverty,” Katko’s office said.

“We need to create strong educational and job opportunities so that individuals living in poverty can take steps into personal achievement and economic stability. The Upward Bound program is critical to providing these opportunities for students in the City of Syracuse,” Katko contended.

About the program

The Upward Bound program is one of eight U.S. Department of Education TRIO programs, which are “federal outreach and student-services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds,” according to the website of the U.S. Department of Education.

These programs are targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post baccalaureate programs, the website says.

It also includes a training program for directors and staff of TRIO projects.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com