LILLINGTON - Central Carolina Community College's Upward Bound TRiO programs welcomed over 60 new students at an induction ceremony held Saturday, Jan. 27, on CCCC's Harnett Main Campus in Lillington. Students represent Harnett and Lee County high schools, and through the Upward Bound program, will receive intensive services in support of their preparation for college at no cost.

As new students were inducted into the Upward Bound programs, they voiced a commitment to remaining dedicated to their participation in the program, helping others, demonstrating leadership among their peers, and remaining focused on their goal of going to college.

In September, CCCC initiated the two new Upward Bound TRiO grants to serve first-generation and low-income high school students in Harnett and Lee counties with the support of grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education. The grants are in addition to an already existing Upward Bound Math and Science program, which currently serves 62 students in Harnett County.

Services provided to participants include academic instruction, tutoring, ACT and SAT preparation, assistance completing college admissions and financial aid applications, mentoring, career counseling, internship experiences, on-campus residential summer programs, a Summer Bridge program, and cultural enrichment. The ultimate goal of the Upward Bound program is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education.

The Upward Bound program is one of the Federal TRiO Programs, which are outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRiO programs emerged out of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 in response to the administration's War on Poverty. Upward Bound was the first TRiO program to be created, and TRiO now includes eight programs operated by the U.S. Department of Education 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.

Currently, there are over 800 Upward Bound programs nationwide serving more than 60,000 participants, with 20 UB programs in North Carolina.

CCCC is also home to three other TRiO programs, including a Veterans Upward Bound program serving local veterans interested in pursuing a college degree, and two Student Support Services programs focused on supporting the retention, graduation, and transfer of currently enrolled CCCC students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Central Carolina Community College's Upward Bound programs are currently seeking applications from 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students in both Harnett and Lee counties, as several spaces in the program are still available.

For more information about the Upward Bound TRiO program at Central Carolina Community College, people can call 919-718-7576 or email ub@cccc.edu.