U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee

By Aswad Walker

Texas Southern University is set to receive $426,966 to fund its Upward Bound program, according to U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. The announcement, made May 31, states the funds will cover the program’s first budget period, and it is anticipated that the grant will cover a total of five years.

“I am delighted to announce that Texas Southern University is being awarded a grant for the Upward Bound program,” said Jackson-Lee. “The grant will help the Federal TRIO Programs and student services programs, which are designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

Jackson-Lee, a Democrat, serves as the representative of Texas’ 18th Congressional District, in which Texas Southern University resides.

In a statement about the grant on Jackson-Lee’s website (Jacksonlee.house.gov), she said,I would like to thank the U.S. Department of Education for recognizing the value in supporting a program such as the Upward Bound Program. The eight programs that it supports are targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs. It will drastically and positively change the lives of many young people, and I look forward to seeing it move forward.”