SHAHEEN ANNOUNCES GRANTS FOR COLLEGE PREP

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today announced two grants for New Hampshire colleges that are helping local high-school students prepare for and get into college through the Upward Bound program. The U.S. Department of Education granted $477,880 to the University of New Hampshire and $421,760 to Keene State College.

“A college education can be critical to a young person’s prospects in today’s economy, but some students face special challenges in not only entering, but also succeeding at college,” Shaheen said. “These programs do a wonderful job of preparing disadvantaged students and students who are the first in their family to go to college.”

“I can’t emphasize enough how important this award is to the students at these schools, where the community needs are tremendous,” said Dan Gordon, director of the program at UNH.  “This grant will enable us to meet the challenge and help more low-income students access higher education.”

"This award solidifies Keene State College’s commitment to supporting local students and families seeking access to affordable post-secondary educational opportunities," said Keene State’s program director, Kristin Sweeney Moore.  “Our Upward Bound community is taking a moment to celebrate today, as tomorrow we resume planning and coordinating our summer program.”

Upward Bound includes school-year counseling and an intense summer program for students at the college campuses.  Participants are high school students from low-income families and from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor's degree. Upward Bound’s goal is to increase participants’ high school graduation rates, college entrance rates and college graduation rates.

The grant to UNH will help continue Upward Bound programs in place at high schools in Manchester, Farmington, Rochester and Somersworth. The grant to Keene similarly helps ongoing programs at high schools in Keene, Langdon and Swanzee, as well as in Vermont.