COMPETITIVE VETERANS UPWARD BOUND GRANT AWARDED TO EKU

With a long-standing reputation for excellence in veterans education, Eastern Kentucky University has been awarded a five-year grant for a Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) program. VUB is a federally funded TRiO outreach program designed to prepare eligible, first-generation, low-income veterans to enter postsecondary education.

According to Barbara Kent, director of EKU’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, the VUB program addresses any issues causing a barrier to postsecondary education. Free services for eligible veterans will include academic assessments and placement testing, core curriculum instruction, tutoring, admissions applications, visits to college campuses, help with the FAFSA and financial literacy workshops, scholarship workshops, and cultural enrichment activities.

Veterans residing within Clay, Fayette, Knox, Laurel, Madison, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle and Whitley counties will be able to apply, and the EKU-VUB program will serve 125 eligible veterans annually. Many of the services offered will also be available to their family members at no cost as well.

“The greatest impact for EKU will be the opportunity for multiple areas on campus to get involved and help serve these students,” Kent said. “Additionally, the program will provide opportunities for our current EKU students to interact and support veterans in entering postsecondary education.”