Upward Bound, the oldest of a series of programs known as TRIO programs, was created as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on Poverty”. Specific legislation for the program was initially authorized under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and later moved to be included under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. While much of President Johnson’s “War on Poverty” and the “Great Society” initiatives dealt with the problems of jobs and housing, this legislation which authorized the TRIO programs sought to provide educational opportunity for all Americans regardless of race, ethnic background or economic circumstance.
The Upward Bound Program has been in existence on the campus of Baldwin-Wallace College since 1968. Former Baldwin-Wallace College President, A.B. Bonds, Jr. was instrumental in bringing Upward Bound to Baldwin-Wallace’s campus.
Under President Bond’s leadership, Ernest Kozmo, from B-W’s Education Department wrote the first grant proposal. That initial grant application proposed that an Upward Bound be funded for 50 students attending Cleveland Public High Schools. The areas to be served reflected high rates of poverty and/or evidenced lower levels of educational attainment. The schools proposed to be services by the Upward Bound Program in this initial grant were Lincoln High and West High schools on the near west side and on the east side in the Kinsman area, East Technical and John Adams High Schools.
Upward Bound has come along way since first grant proposal in 1968. Upward Bound, today, if funded to serve 72 participants during the academic year and 62 participants during the summer residential program. The target high schools are now Glenville, South, Lincoln-West, James F. Rhodes, John F. Kennedy and John Marshall. Many aspects of the program have changed since the first grant proposal but the Upward Bound Program is still committed to offering participants the opportunity to better their educational, personal and social situations. Upward Bound will continue to encourage its participants to strive for a better life for themselves by giving them the tools they need to achieve their highest potential.
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