UB Bridge Scholars Program
The Bridge Scholars Program is for qualifying students only. The program will serve 4 or 5 of these eligible graduating seniors each summer. Designed to give the graduates a head-start on college, the students enroll in two University of Montana courses that carry a total college credit load of 6 credits. The students are required to take Public Speaking (COMM 111A) and either College Composition (WRIT 101) or Intro to Anthropology (ANTY 101HX). All of the courses are attended by other University of Montana students. Upward Bound pays all costs associated with the student's participation in the bridge scholars program (including: tuition, fees, books, room and board—a cost of approximately $3200 per student). In addition to course work, Bridge Scholars also learn about resources for academic assistance on campus, receive help with modifying their course plans for fall semester, and attend workshops relating to college prep skills.
The Bridge Scholars Program also provides students access to the Kimberly Hammond Book Fund. Established in the late 1980s with insurance proceeds left to Upward Bound by the family of an Upward Bound alum who was tragically killed in an automobile accident, the book fund will purchase one text for each student during their first year of college at UM. Additionally, the book fund provides Bridge students access to borrowing previously purchased text books. Currently the book fund inventory includes about 400 titles. Accessing texts from the book fund can save students hundreds of dollars each year.
