“Saint Francis University’s Upward Bound program has done a fantastic job preparing students who may not have been considered ‘college-bound’ prepare for a better future through the pursuit of higher education,” Shuster said.

“As an alumnae of Upward Bound myself, I am so pleased that our program will continue to help students fulfill their dream of earning a college degree.  We are grateful for Congressman Shuster's hard work in keeping the Upward Bound program funded.  Because of him, we know that our students have a voice in Congress.” said Anne Heinzeroth, the program's director.

“I am proud to see these funds go to such a successful program with a proven track record of success.  We need our students to have every opportunity to achieve a better life through a quality education,” Shuster added.  “With this grant, St. Francis can continue its exceptional work.”

As one of the oldest Upward Bound programs in the United States, the Saint Francis University Upward Bound program has provided services to more than 2,500 at-risk youth from Blair, Cambria, Huntingdon, Indiana, Lancaster, and Somerset Counties since 1966. The grant will allow the University to serve over 200 disadvantaged students over the next four years.

On average, 93% of Upward Bound graduates pursue a postsecondary degree while only 51% of target area seniors go on to college. And while only 19.5% of low income students graduate from college, 76% of Upward Bound graduates earn a college degree within five years. Among Upward Bound's alumni are physicians, engineers, educators, nurses, lawyers, business people, and physical therapists. Program graduates are employed by such companies as Saint Francis University, Alcoa, Chase Manhattan Bank, AT&T, General Electric, Hewlett Packard, State Farm, and Mellon Bank.