Independence Community College has received five more years of funding for its Upward Bound Program.

A U.S. Department of Education grant has been extended and will be used to fund programming that benefits disadvantaged area students. UB helps students by focusing on preliminary college skills, ACT preparation, time management, study skills and financial literacy. The students live on campus during the summer, attend classes and engage in team-building exercises and activities, which will allow students to overcome barriers to higher education.

The grant will fund UB through 2027 with an annual award of just over $336,000.