SANFORD - Veterans Upward Bound provides a wide range of academic support for veterans who would like to enter college but need help to succeed in higher education. Getting started is as easy as making a call or sending email to set up an appointment.
Amanda Parkstone, who serves as interim director of the Veterans Upward Bound office at Central Carolina Community College, says she meets one-on-one with veterans all the time to assess whether they're eligible for the federal program. Even if they're not, she often can suggest other ways veterans can pursue their goals.
Members of the Veterans Upward Bound staff guide eligible veterans through an application process and, once approved, begin by developing an individualized educational plan. Sometimes that's as simple as arranging a free remedial course; other times, it also could include a mix of individual tutoring, personal counseling and help finding financial aid.
According to federal guidelines, participants must be either low-income or the first-generation in their family to attend college. For income, veterans must earn no more than 150 percent of the federal poverty level. That rate changes, but currently ranges by family size from $11,880 for individuals to $40,890 for a family of eight, meaning the veteran's income must be less than about $17,820 to $61,335 depending on the family size.
To meet the military service requirement, veterans must have served in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for more than 180 days and received other than a dishonorable discharge. Veterans also are eligible if they were discharged because of a service-related disability or were a reservist who was called to activity duty for more than 30 days or served on active duty in support of a contingency operation since Sept. 11, 2001.
CCCC's Veterans Upward Bound office, the only one in North Carolina, serves veterans living in Chatham, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, and Wake counties.
For information, contact Interim Director Amanda Parkstone at 919-718-7463 or veteransub@cccc.edu. Details also are available online at cccc.edu/vub.
For more information on Central Carolina Community College, visit the college website at www.cccc.edu.