Services

From September through May, students participate in individual meetings in their home schools and by attending monthly Saturday Programs held at Penn State's University Park campus and other locations.

In both of these settings, students prepare for college by receiving academic guidance, career counseling, and tutoring support. Trips to college campuses and other cultural activities are also included, as are workshops on various professional development topics.

Upward Bound Programs Students2025 Summer Academy

This year's Academy takes place from June 16 through July 28, offering both residential and virtual opportunities for eligible participants.

Virtual and Residential Summer in a Nutshell -

  • Virtual Week June 16-18
  • Residential June 22-27 – on Altoona Campus
  • Virtual Week June 30-July 3
  • Residential July 6-11 – on Berks Campus
  • Virtual Week July 14-18
  • Residential July 20-25 – on University Park Campus
  • July 28 - End of Program Cultural Trip

Virtual weeks will occur between the residential weeks and will feature synchronous and asynchronous courses with a variety of programming, field trips, town halls, and college visits.

Various educational, cultural, and recreational activities and workshops are offered focusing on:

  • Study skills
  • Financial aid
  • Time management
  • Choosing a major
  • Leadership development
  • Team-building activities

Benefits for Seniors

  • Additional support throughout the college exploration and application process
  • Fee waivers for college applications
  • Assistance in completing financial aid (FAFSA) and scholarship application processes.

Family Participation

  • Encouragement from families for students to participate in Upward Bound Programs is a key ingredient to students’ success.
  • Parents/Guardians of seniors are invited to a banquet on the final Saturday Program of the academic year to celebrate students’ achievements.

This program is offered 100 percent through federal grants totaling over one million dollars for the current fiscal year from the U.S. Department of Education, with facilities and administrative support provided by The Pennsylvania State University.