Director of UMBC Upward Bound Corris Davis ’98, biology, and academic counselor Brittany Walker spoke to Capital News Service about how Upward Bound is changing to better serve low-income students. Upward Bound, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, teaches low-income high school students skills in leadership, communication and academics.

UMBC Upward Bound supports 140 students from east Baltimore and Baltimore County. Since 2007, the program has trained graduating students to mentor high school students. As a senior in high school, Walker became a peer leader for underclassmen and said the program “[brought] everyone together as one.”

Now, peer leadershp has become a mainstay of the Upward Bound program and Davis presented on UMBC’s experience with it at the Council for Oppotunity in Education’s national conference this week.

Click here to read “As Upward Bound Turns 50, Program at UMBC Evolves to Serve Students.”