Each summer, students participate in the residential Upward Bound Summer Program for up to three weeks. Students stay on USM’s Gorham campus with a UB roommate, are supervised by Upward Bound staff, eat in the dining hall, take academic or college preparatory courses, and learn first-hand about college life. Summer activities also include college and career exploration, cultural and recreational activities, leadership skills building, and community service.

Rising sophomores stay on campus for one week.

Rising juniors stay on campus for three weeks, while going home on weekends.

Rising seniors stay on campus for one week, following a virtual college essay writing course.

What are Upward Bound students saying about the Summer Program?

“The best part of the summer program was how close I got with everyone and how I made new friends, everyone was so inviting.“

“This has been awesome, I wish it was 5 weeks instead!”

“Me and my family sometimes bring up college and I felt really stressed because I barely knew anything. Now I feel like I know so much about college and things, such as the FAFSA, Financial Aid, and more.”

“I really liked touring colleges because it really helped give me a feel for what kind of environment I want to be part of.”

“I come from a family who knows practically nothing about the process of going to college and the class(es) helped me feel like something so difficult and big like going to college now feels very doable.”