When he first thought about going to college, Army veteran Austin Braun had no clue where to begin. He was lost in a maze of forms, registrations and requirements – blindly entering the world of higher education after years out of school – until he was connected with Veterans Upward Bound at the University of Southern Maine.
“I knew I needed some kind of guidance. So I reached out, and it ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve made,” said Braun.
Veterans Upward Bound, a federally funded program based at USM, helps veterans like Braun prepare for and succeed in college. VUB offers academic courses, tutoring, and one-on-one advising, along with guidance on financial aid, class registration, and career planning – providing veterans with the resources to navigate a smooth transition into higher education.
“Maine has one of the highest veteran populations per capita, and although there are many resources available, VUB is the only statewide program that offers comprehensive, wraparound support for veterans pursuing a postsecondary degree,” said Alyssa West, director of USM’s TRIO Pre-College Programs, which oversee Veterans Upward Bound.
Braun quickly took advantage of all that VUB has to offer. He received guidance on how lectures work, how to manage assignments and deadlines, and how to navigate financial aid, credit transfers, and class selection. Katie Bauer, a VUB advisor, kept him on track with scholarship deadlines and connected him to exciting opportunities, including a chance to network with a prosthetics clinic – directly aligned with Braun’s long-term career goals.
VUB’s support extends beyond college and career guidance. Bauer, a veteran herself, said the transition from military service back into a classroom can be jarring.
“In the military, you do things other 20-year-olds aren’t doing. You’re responsible for expensive equipment, life-or-death situations,” She said. “You grow up faster. So even if you’re 23 or 24 going to school, you see life differently.”
For Braun, connecting with a community of people who understand these challenges is grounding in ways that go far beyond academics.
“I also know I have someone in my corner if I ever run into trouble: academic or personal,” he said.
In September, the federal Department of Education announced it would cancel more than $600,000 in funding for Veterans Upward Bound at USM within a matter of weeks. This sudden decision left many feeling shocked and fearful about what the loss would mean for veterans.
“When I heard the funding was being cut, it was frustrating. Not just personally, but because I know how critical this program is for other veterans,” said Braun. “Without VUB, applying and preparing for college can feel overwhelming. Enough that some veterans might decide it’s not worth the trouble. And that’s a real loss. You never know who might be on the edge of stepping into their potential – someone who could’ve gone on to change lives, make breakthroughs, or inspire others.”
The program’s reach extends far beyond Braun. Veterans across Maine have relied on VUB to navigate the challenges of returning to higher education, including Edward Philbrook, a veteran studying mental health and human services at the University of Maine at Augusta.
“There are a lot of older people like me who don’t think they can handle going to school and some who don’t think they’re smart enough,” said Philbrook, who faced homelessness and disability after leaving the military. “I also thought these things before Katie started working with me.”
Just days after the initial funding cut announcement, the University of Maine System quickly appealed, and Maine’s congressional delegation sprang into action to advocate for the program. Their efforts were strengthened by the voices of veterans like Philbrook – who spoke publicly in news stories and interviews – and together they helped secure the restoration of funding for USM’s Veterans Upward Bound program.
“The amount of community support we have is amazing,” Bauer said. “We were very fortunate. But it was absolutely last minute. Everything was packed up. They gave us maybe 18 days – barely that.”
This policy reversal ensures that veterans across Maine can continue accessing VUB as the crucial bridge into college, workforce training, and long-term economic stability. Braun has crossed this bridge himself. Now a Biology student at USM, he plans to pursue biomedical engineering, with the long-term goal of designing prosthetics and exoskeletons for people who have lost mobility due to injury, illness, or surgery.
He hopes to develop technologies that not only help individuals restore movement, but also regain independence and improve their quality of life.
For Philbrook, the VUB has been just as transformative – he’s constantly surprising himself with what he can accomplish.
“My first semester ended with a 4.0 GPA and this one is shaping up to be pretty good too,” said Philbrook. “I wouldn’t have had the courage or self-confidence to even try this without support from the VUB.”