Upward Bound high school students attended 6-week enrichment program at CState
For six weeks in June and July, a dozen high school students from Cincinnati State’s Upward Bound program at Mount Healthy Jr/Sr High School were on Clifton Campus to learn about college experiences and prepare for future success.
- Cincinnati State Upward Bound at Mount Healthy Jr/Sr High School is a federally funded TRIO grant program that helps students successfully graduate from high school and pursue a college education.
- Upward Bound supports promising high school students from first-generation, low-income families by providing education and career counseling, academic assistance, and guidance in making informed educational choices.
The summer program that took place from June 13 to July 21 was led by Allyson Knue (Academic Specialist, Student Success and Development) with the assistance of Arlene Brown.
The high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors took 5-week courses in Math, English, Science, and Spanish, attended workshops on wellness and career exploration, and enjoyed “college & culture” Friday field trips.
Wellness workshops were offered in partnership with master’s degree students from the University of Cincinnati’s Occupational Therapy program, who helped the high school students tackle a range of topics related to life skills.
The local non-profit organization LEAD Training provided career exploration workshops, and the Upward Bound students also participated in “mini” career internships while paired with a Cincinnati State mentor from the student’s chosen career field. Participating mentors included:
- Aunjaleis Bishop-Baldwin, Early Childhood Education
- Cecilia Felix, Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Kelly Harper, Career Services
- Hannah Held, Engineering and Information Technologies
- Nicole Jenkins, Veterans & International Student Affairs
- David Killen, Audio/Video Production
- Tammie Larkins, CState Accelerate
- Carolyn Rutland-White, TRIO Student Support Services
- Melissa Scott, Finance Office
- Dr. Myshamil Walker, Transfer Center
- JoAnne Worthington, Nursing
The high school students participated in the Cincinnati State Juneteenth campus celebration as well.
“College and Culture” field trips during the summer program included tours of Miami University, Mount Saint Joseph University, Ohio State University, and Wright State University, as well as the ArtWorks Over-the-Rhine walking mural tour. While in Columbus, students also visited the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) Museum and the Ohio Statehouse.
To learn more or partner with Upward Bound, contact College Access Programs Interim Director Shelia Bratcher (shelia.bratcher@cincinnatistate.edu) or Academic Specialist Allyson Knue (allyson.knue@cincinnatistate.edu).
