Arkansas Tech University has received notification of a federal grant that will allow it to continue its Veterans Upward Bound program through August 2027.
The first in what is anticipated to be five years of annual funding is $297,601. Upon completion of the anticipated five-year period, the total value of the grant will be $1,488,005.
Arkansas Tech received notification of the funding from the office of U.S. Congressman Steve Womack, an ATU alumnus who retired from the Arkansas Army National Guard at the rank of Colonel following more than 30 years of service.
According to information provided by the U.S. Department of Education, the purpose of Veterans Upward Bound is to “motivate and assist veterans in the development of academic and other requisite skills necessary for acceptance and success in a program of post-secondary education.”
By utilizing counseling, mentoring and tutoring, Veterans Upward Bound personnel provide assessment and enhancement of student skills that are essential in completing post-secondary education programs.
ATU was first selected to host a Veterans Upward Bound program in 2017. The ATU program serves 125 participants per year from a 10-county region — Conway, Crawford, Faulkner, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Perry, Pope, Sebastian and Yell — regardless of which institution of higher education they attend.
Kristie Canada serves as ATU’s Veterans Upward Bound program director. Additional staff members are Cole Hendrix, outreach and services coordinator; Allison Sims, academic advisor; and Ashlynn Hall, administrative specialist.
“It is a privilege to serve those who have served our country,” said Canada.
Learn more about the ATU Veterans Upward Bound program at www.atu.edu/vub.
