Two CLU Upward Bound Summer Programs Provide College Opportunities for Low–Income Students

THOUSAND OAKS, CA – For the 25th consecutive summer, California Lutheran University is hosting the Traditional Upward Bound Program on campus from June 26 through July 29. The Math/Science Upward Bound Summer Program, which draws high school students from several states, will begin on June 29.

Both programs offer low–income high school students an opportunity to live on a college campus and take academically challenging courses to prepare for college. In celebration of the Traditional Upward Bound Program’s Silver Anniversary, a special event will be held on Sunday, July 17, in the Pavilion.

The programs, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, offer classes in science, math, literature and composition. Students also have opportunities to take enrichment courses such as SAT/ACT preparation, study skills seminars, Web design, film production, Chinese, sign language and world dance. Community leaders and former Upward Bound students serve as guest speakers and mentors. CLU’s programs consistently have 100 percent of the participants graduate from high school, with many of the students accepted to a minimum of three post secondary institutions. More than 85 percent of the students who participate in the Math/Science program go on to graduate from a four–year college or university.

Both Upward Bound tracks offer various educational resources year round to students and their parents. Opportunities include weekend classes at CLU, educational and cultural activities, academic advisement, after–school tutoring and mentoring.

The Math/Science Upward Bound Program is designed to prepare students for college admission with a strong focus on the fields of new technology, engineering and the sciences. For example, the medical science class will work with professional actors in the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival to perform a modern day CSI on Richard III, the lead character in Shakespeare’s tragedy Richard III.

The computer science class will culminate with a national TRIO ThinkQuest Web site competition, and the sports medicine component will focus on the scientific aspects of treating athletic injuries. An electronics course will emphasize the integrated use of engineering and computers.

For more information about the Traditional Upward Bound Program at CLU, please call Diva Ward, Director of CLU’s Upward Bound Program, at (805) 493–3352. For more information about the program, please call Joy Brittain, Director of the Math/Science Upward Bound Program, at (805) 493–3317 or (805) 493–3292.