For Immediate Release
December 3, 2007
Contact: John G. Hammond, Director
Office of Public Relations, 210/733-2147


San Antonio College has been selected to receive a $1 million grant
($250,000 per year for four years) from the U.S. Department of Education to
implement an Upward Bound Program for 9th ­ 12th grade students at
neighboring Fox Tech High School.

The purpose of the grant, which will be implemented under the direction of
Dean Ruben Flores of the Division of Evening, Weekend and Distance
Education, is to improve the chances for low-income,
first-generation-in-college minority students to finish high school with
adequate academic preparation to assure success in college and entry into
professional careers.
           
³We have a close relationship with Fox Tech High School,² said President
Robert E. Zeigler, ³and this major grant will give us many more resources to
help these students succeed academically and move on to college.  Achieving
academic success will help students to have fulfilling careers while also
improving our community¹s economy. So we will all win from this effort.²

The Upward Bound Program includes an academic enrichment component, provided
by San Antonio College faculty, and a non-academic, family-intensive
component involving support from Parent Advisors under the umbrella of the
Institute for Community Initiatives¹ Family Learning Academy.

SAC faculty will provide academic enrichment in math, language arts and
science, dual credit opportunities and summer bridge programs, and staff and
undergraduate mentors will provide tutoring, mentoring, college
preparation/exposure activities, and cultural and career-preparation
activities.

The program¹s objectives are to ensure that 80 percent of Upward Bound
students are proficient on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test
in reading/language arts and math, 85 percent remain in the program from
year to year, 80 percent enroll in postsecondary education the fall after
graduation from high school, and 70 percent return the following fall after
their first year of postsecondary education.

For more information, contact Ruben Flores, Dean of Evening, Weekend, and
Distance Education, at 733-2475.