UB Bridge Scholars Program

The Bridge Scholars Program is for qualifying students only. The program will serve 4 or 5 of these students each summer. Upon graduation from high school, Upward Bound seniors enter the UB Bridge Scholars Program. Designed to give the graduates a head-start on college, the students enroll in three University of Montana courses that carry a total college credit load of 8-10 credits (a full-time summer session load). The students are required to take College (English) Composition and two electives of their choice. 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).

The Bridge Scholars Program also provides students access to the Kimberly Hammond Book Fund. Established in the late 1980's 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.