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Upward Bound

The Eastern Kentucky University Upward Bound Program is an academic, college-preparatory program funded by the United States Department of Education as one of the federal TRiO programs. Since 1965, has positively impacted the lives of Kentucky students. We currently serve students in Casey, Estill, Garrard, Lee, Lincoln, Powell, and Wolfe counties.

UB provides tutoring, ACT prep, college visits, cultural trips, college admission and financial aid assistance, monthly on-campus Saturday sessions, and other academic support services. Additionally, we provide a summer residential program called, “Summer Chatauqua” which culminates the students’ learning throughout the academic year and concludes with an end-of-summer trip.

Key Resources

Forms

Saturday Academies

  • January 25, 2025
  • February 15, 2025
  • March 8, 2025
  • April 5, 2025
  • May 3, 2025

Contact Information

Upward Bound

521 Lancaster Avenue
Patterson House
Richmond, KY 40475

859-622-1080
Fax: 859-622-7877
richard.mchone@eku.edu

Department Directory

Apply to Upward Bound

This free program is for eligible high school students who are:

  • Interested in being first-generation college graduates from their families
  • Unable to afford college
  • Willing to participate in tutoring and classes in their home counties and during the summers on EKU's campus
  • Motivated to raise their ACT scores
  • In need of academic support in order to attain their education goals beyond high school
  • Interested in cultivating new friendships and enjoying positive experiences

Admission to the EKU Upward Bound program is based on several things: grades, test scores, and an in-person interview with UB staff.

Applying to the program does NOT guarantee admission. Preference is given to students in ninth and tenth grades and/or students with a 2.5 GPA or above.

Each September, approximately 30-40 positions in the program become available due to spaces being vacated by graduating seniors. EKU Upward Bound serves a total of 125 students. Once we're full - we're full. So, apply today!

A printable application to the program is available here.

An electronic application can be completed here.

Applications and accompanying materials can be faxed to 859-622-7877 or emailed to becca.morrison@eku.edu.

Prefer snail mail?
Our address is:
Upward Bound
521 Lancaster Avenue
Patterson House
Richmond, KY 40475

Summer Chautauqua

During the summer, you will spend six exciting weeks at Eastern Kentucky University living in the dorms and taking classes that will help you get ready for college. There are traditional (i.e. English, Foreign Language, Geometry, Trigonometry, Chemistry) and non-traditional courses (i.e. Photography, Speech & Drama, Journalism) to help you develop creative thinking toward your success in college!

Our 2025 Tentative Summer Dates are June 7th - July 17th! It is going to be a great summer and we are already looking forward to it.

Watch the 2024-2025 Theme Announcement

FAQs

You can expect to have a wonderful time learning, making friends, and sharing new experiences. You’ll have interesting classes, scholarship opportunities, seminars on how to succeed in high school and college, college tours, exciting field trips, and make friends you’ll treasure forever!

The program will help you to master the subjects that colleges require you to have such as: English, Math and Science. There is also time for personal enrichment activities designed to best meet high school students’ needs and interests.

UB can benefit you by:

  • Assisting you with navigating how to apply for college financial aid
  • Coaching for study, time management, and decision making skills
  • Providing educational field trips
  • Year round career, academic, and financial planning
  • Broaden your life experiences through cultural events, academic programs and other activities
  • Offering financial stipends
  • Providing monthly one-on-one tutoring
  • Supplying on-line supplemental tutoring programs that are available 24 hours/7 days a week

To be considered for UB, students must:

  • Meet income standards set by the federal government and/or
  • Be a potential first-generation college student (Meaning that neither of your parents have earned a four year college degree)
  • Be academically able to succeed in higher education,
  • Be in 9th, 10th, or 11th grade
  • Must live in Casey, Estill, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Powell, or Wolfe County (If you do not live in one of these counties, UB will assist you with determining if there is a program in your home county)

Selected participants are also determined by their ability to demonstrate:

  • A desire to succeed in higher education
  • Motivation toward the achievement of lifetime goals and dreams
  • The ability to be respectful of themselves and others
  • Appropriate behavior in their school, community, campus, state and the world!

Upward Bound is sponsored by the United States Department of Education and is offered at no membership cost to you or your family. All UB students get weekly stipends that help them to pay for their basic expenses during the summer “Chautauqua program”.

Don’t be! It’s natural to feel apprehensive when you’re meeting new people and starting a program. But relax--EVERYONE else felt the same way and will go out of their way to make you feel welcome.

Absolutely! Parents and family members are welcome any time and encouraged to participate in many of our activities. We also welcome your friends during free time and invite them to join us in pick-up volleyball games, Ultimate Frisbee and more. Of course, your guests must abide by our rules while they are here.

Well, the truth is, you may be a bit homesick in the beginning. And that’s not a bad thing--I’d hate to think you didn’t miss your family at all! But if you stick with us, you’ll soon be involved in activities, meet new friends and feel completely at home. Our biggest problem is trying to talk people into going home on the weekends!

Our program runs throughout the academic year, but the “meat” of our work is done in the summer, so it is vital that students participate in the summer residential portion of the program. Students may possibly be excused for certain reasons. However, the summer dates are provided months in advance so that you can schedule your family vacation and other activities around those weeks.

Students enrolled in UB have monthly on-campus Saturday academic enrichment sessions, tutoring sessions and school visits offering each participant a minimum of three personal contacts per monthly. Monthly newsletters and frequent correspondence are posted on UB’s website and social networking site for additional information.

You choose your own roommate late in the spring, after you’ve become acquainted with everyone in the program. Sometimes best friends from the same school choose to room together, other times people seek out someone they know only slightly. One student said recently, “It’s better to choose someone you don’t know well--that way you get to know each other’s friends quickly. And you don’t get bored with someone you see all year long!” It’s your decision!

Bedrooms are fairly typical college resident hall rooms-- two beds, two dressers, two desks, two chairs, two closets. Each room has a small refrigerator, cable hook-up, and telephone connection. (You bring your own phone.) You may bring a TV, stereo, posters, musical instruments, etc. The university rule is no amplifiers or drum sets, but if we’re in our own residence hall we may be flexible--after all, you need to practice for the variety show! You can decorate it as you like.

Bathrooms are communal--a couple on each floor for the students living there--but have private toilet stalls and private showers. It’s not like gym class! They are cleaned daily and work well.

  • Pack comfortable, casual clothes, and be sure to include a pair of gym shoes and a swimsuit. We don’t require you to dress up for any events, but if any events do get scheduled we will announce them in time to prepare. During the banquet and awards show, some people like to dress up, but please dress as you feel comfortable. We never want anyone to feel required to wear anything special unless deemed necessary. All clothing must be appropriate for school (no alcohol, firearms, or offensive sayings on shirts). No short-shorts, cut-off shirts, strapless shirts.
  • Be sure to bring some sort of RAIN GEAR (umbrella, poncho, or raincoat); it will rain some time during the six weeks you are with us!
    You must provide your own SHEETS (for a XL twin-size bed or regular sized jersey knit), PILLOWS, BLANKETS, TOWELS, WASHCLOTHS, and HANGERS.
  • Laundry facilities are located in each residence hall and are equipped with washers and dryers that are available to residents. Be considerate of other residents; don’t leave your laundry unattended in the washers and/or dryers AND don’t remove other’s laundry from the washers and/or dryers before the cycle has completed.
  • Toiletries will not be provided; please make arrangements for your personal hygiene. Bring razor, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soap, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. You will also need FLIP-FLOPS FOR THE SHOWER.
  • Phone outlets are available in each room; however, you must provide your own phone. Cordless phones do not work well in the buildings.
    High-speed Internet access is available in every residence hall room. If you wish to utilize this service you will need to provide your own personal computer along with Ethernet cable.
  • Alarm Clock. It will be YOUR responsibility to wake up in the mornings! Tutor advisors will not be waking students up. This means that you will want to bring an ALARM CLOCK with you when you come this summer. Breakfast will start at 8:00 am. You must attend breakfast and be ready for your 9:00 am class.
  • You may bring a TV, radio, or stereo; however, the sound must be kept at REASONABLE levels.
  • Other things you may wish to bring include: stamps, stationery, addresses of friends and relatives, a small plastic bucket to carry items to/from showers, your own sports equipment (tennis racquet, baseball glove, etc.) you may wish to use. And please don’t forget to bring a positive attitude!
EKU Housing What to Bring & What Not to Bring

Mission

EKU Upward Bound is a supportive community that prepares high school students who have limited access to higher education opportunities for a successful college career through a program of engaging academic instruction, experience-based college preparation, and enriching cultural exposure.

Vision

EKU Upward Bound’s vision is to inspire and to empower all students to reach their full potential, positively impacting their families and communities.

Values

Education: We value instilling knowledge, competence, and a love for learning through different ideas, new experiences, and personal interaction.

Growth: We value the empowerment and personal development that results from challenging ourselves and from capitalizing on opportunities for creativity and adventure.

Integrity: We value doing the right thing by being transparent, ethical, honest, and fair.

Relationships: We value creating and fostering connections, collaboration, and working cooperatively.

Respect: We value the innate worth of each person. All people are accepted, welcomed, and recognized as enhancements to our community.

Responsibility: We value thoughtful stewardship, taking ownership of our actions, and upholding our commitments.

Support Upward Bound

Would you like to make a monetary donation to Upward Bound?
Click on the "Give Now" button, select "Other Fund," and designate Upward Bound as the recipient of your gift.

Give Now

Support Upward Bound by Shopping at Kroger

  • Visit kroger.com/communityrewards
  • Sign-in to your account or create an account
  • Search for us by typing in “EKU Upward Bound” or our account number (CU634)
  • Then click “Save”

Eastern Kentucky University Upward Bound is funded through a TRIO grant from the United States Department of Education totaling $627,410. The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.