Leading By Example: The Role of Interns in Upward Bound's Success at USU Eastern

Price, Utah — High school can be a daunting experience, especially for students who are the first in their families to consider college or those from low-income backgrounds.

Without proper academic support and opportunities, the road to graduation — let alone higher education — can seem like a steep uphill climb. For those facing additional barriers to success, Upward Bound is making a difference, and USU Eastern is making Upward Bound programming available to high schoolers in Castle Dale, Price and Moab.

Upward Bound is a federally funded program that helps support low-income and first-generation high school students, equipping them with tools to succeed now and in higher education. By fostering a sense of community and offering opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach, Upward Bound is helping high schoolers bridge the gap.

Along with providing support throughout the academic year, the program includes a six-week summer component, and interns like USU student Ronan Spencer provide essential mentorship and support.

“Helping with Upward Bound changed my perspective because I was able to see how this program impacts so many people and can really take people from a bad situation to a good situation,” Spencer said. “These opportunities can help change somebody’s life. Being with these students and seeing how dedicated they were and just how motivated they were was really inspiring.”

Desiree Buchmiller, the director of Upward Bound at USU Eastern, has seen this program change participants’ lives over the 11 years she’s worked there.

“Just this past summer we had a [high school] student who was more cautious when it came to engaging socially, and now this academic year they are involved in multiple clubs and extracurricular activities at their school,” Buchmiller said. “Last academic year we had three of our seniors who did not have extensive leadership experience all be given leadership positions, and with that, scholarships at their college. We have helped students receive grants and scholarships, so they are able to attend college debt free, including major colleges of their choice.”

In addition to a traditional classroom education, these high school students are learning about courage, connection and community.

“The things I taught my students were to be confident, to take opportunities, and to create change,” Spencer said. “A lot of these students didn’t see themselves doing anything else than sticking with their same situation. Teaching them that they’re able to get out of a loop and teaching them that they’re able to seize opportunities was one of my main goals.”

The success of Upward Bound is a testament to the willingness of the high school students themselves, as well as the dedication of individuals who support them. Programs like these rely on the efforts of mentors, educators and community members who are invested in the futures of these students. One way students at USU can make a difference is by getting involved in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHaSS) internship program. This opportunity allows interns like Spencer to gain hands-on experience while contributing to the Upward Bound mission.

USU students can gain credit hours through the internship program, but more importantly, gain the experience “while playing major roles in the lives of our Upward Bound Summer Program participants,” Buchmiller said. “They have the opportunity to teach our program participants many valuable lessons by planning activities, implementing workshops, and being a consistent stream of support for the six weeks they are with us.”

By giving these high school students a safe space to learn, the program helps create a tight-knit community. One participant even wrote a song that called Upward Bound a “home away from home away from home.”

“She said this was like her family, and she treated it like her family,” Spencer said.

Community members also play a vital role. Whether through providing workshops, allowing job shadowing, or reaching out with service opportunities, the involvement of local volunteers and businesses helps Upward Bound and its participants to thrive.

During his internship, Spencer, a political science and finance major, strengthened skills in leadership and connection. For all CHaSS majors, Spencer says the best advice he could give is to take initiative.

“Going into politics, I want to help lead and I want to help understand different areas and be able to understand problems that we are facing like lack of rural education. While it can be intimidating to do something unfamiliar, it’s really rewarding,” Spencer said. “Being able to reflect with my supervisor on skills I was trying to accomplish made me a better leader. I was able to pinpoint certain things I needed to work on, and at the end, I was able to see what progress I had made.”

According to Buchmiller, the program is mutually beneficial for both the participants and the interns.

“My greatest hope is that the students gain greater self-worth and a better understanding and appreciation of their value as a contributing member of society,” she said. “These interns are mentors to our students; they are the greatest college advocates we have as they are currently living the lives that our students are gearing towards.”

Interested USU students and community members can contact Desiree Buchmiller to learn more about opportunities with USU Eastern Upward Bound.