Saint Francis University Upward Bound Program

Department of Education, the Upward Bound Program at Saint Francis University has prepared over 2,500 high school students for college since 1966. Provided at no cost to participants, the program offers a wide variety of academic, career, cultural and social activities for 110 high school students from Cambria County. From September through May the students participate in Saturday follow-ups held

on campus and tutorials held after school in their communities and online. Additional academic year activities include college visits, SAT cram sessions, FAFSA completion nights, and college fairs. In addition to SAT and college application fee waivers, the staff provides students with assistance completing their college and scholarship applications. During a six-week residential summer program students attend academic classes in math, lab sciences, composition, literature, foreign languages, and social sciences. Bridge students take Saint Francis University courses for credit. The program also sponsors daily tutorials, a work-study component, volunteer opportunities, and cultural events for students. The program's postsecondary sending rate is 93% with 76% of alumni earning a degree within five years of high school graduation. Among the program's alumni are physicians, engineers, educators, nurses, lawyers, business people, and physical therapists; they are employed by such companies as Alcoa, Chase Manhattan Bank, General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, and State Farm.