Senator Collins, King Announce USM to receive nearly $300,000 for Veterans Upward Bound Program

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the University of Southern Maine (USM) will receive $263,938 through the U.S. Department of Education’s Veterans Upward Bound Program. This is the first time Maine has received this grant, which is designed to help veterans who are the first in their family to attend college develop the skills necessary to succeed in postsecondary education programs.

“TRIO programs like Veterans Upward Bound provide vital assistance to low-income veterans seeking to become first-generation college students,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “We are pleased that this essential program that gives veterans the resources and support they need to succeed in postsecondary education will now be offered across Maine.”

"At the University of Southern Maine, we have nearly 350 student veterans — the highest number of any college or university in Maine — and we’ve made it our mission to help them achieve and excel in their academic goals,” said Dr. Glenn Cummings, President of USM. “I am pleased that our University's TRIO Program has been selected for this grant that will help 125 veterans each year to prepare them for higher education — it’s a life-changer, and we’re proud to be supporting and giving back to those who have given the highest level of sacrifice to our nation.”

The University of Southern Maine’s Veterans Upward Bound program will serve 125 low-income, first-generation veterans per year from across the state of Maine. Of Maine’s 119,058 veterans, 7,954 are low-income and 89,179 do not have a bachelor’s degree and are highly likely to be potential first-generation college students. The program provides assessment and enhancement of basic skills through counseling, mentoring, tutoring and academic instruction in the core subject areas.