submitted by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Daniel Sullivan, an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University alumnus and SkyWest Airlines pilot, recently returned to the Prescott Campus to speak to Upward Bound participating high school students about how the program changed his life.
Sullivan told the students his admission to Embry-Riddle was not guaranteed after he graduated from Bradshaw Mountain High School. He said he was “really good at math,” but his reading and writing were subpar.
“But when I mentioned that I was in the Upward Bound program, Embry-Riddle’s admissions made an exception,” said Sullivan, who graduated in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science. “Everything I have now, I owe to that exception that allowed me to go to Embry-Riddle and become the pilot I am today.”
The Upward Bound program — funded through a grant from the Department of Education — is aimed at prospective college students from low-income families and those who are first-generation students. It provides academic support services, including tutors, counseling and summer enrichment programs.
Embry-Riddle’s Prescott campus has hosted Upward Bound for over two decades. More than 600 students from Yavapai County, home to the Prescott Campus, have benefited from the program. This past summer, the campus welcomed 35 students for five weeks of courses focused on college preparation and leadership development.
“We strive each year to enhance our program, making it more educational and enjoyable for our students,” said Sheryl Gillum, director of Upward Bound at the Prescott Campus. “We spend a lot of time talking to our participants about planning for higher education, scholarships and their future plans.”
One student benefitting from the program is Mikayla Johnson, who recently graduated from Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center of Prescott Valley. Johnson has been active in Upward Bound for two years, including this past summer, when she had the opportunity to take cybersecurity courses, earning college credits.
Johnson said her experience with Upward Bound not only has helped her prepare for the rigors of college curricula but also provided her with the skills necessary to succeed in a university setting.
During the summer program, Johnson served as an Upward Bound resident adviser assistant. The opportunity, she said, allowed her to support her peers. The role also mirrored that of a college resident adviser, a position that can significantly reduce higher education costs.
Upward Bound “has helped me gain new leadership skills as well as helped me cement what I would like to major in,” Johnson said. “Not only that, but this program has also helped me locate the school I’d like to attend.” She hopes to pursue a bachelor’s degree in cyber intelligence and security at Embry-Riddle.
As a former Upward Bound student, Sullivan shared not only his inspiring journey to becoming a pilot but also spoke about the keys to success in the Upward Bound program.
“It’s not about going to Embry-Riddle,” he said. “It’s about getting some experience with college-level thinking while also getting out of the house for a few weeks in the summer and having a lot of fun.”
Diego Yepez, a 2002 Upward
Bound graduate of Pima Community College in Tucson, returned to
the program at Embry-Riddle this summer as part of an effort to have alumni serve as mentors and resident advisers.
“The program truly embodies the essence of guiding students toward their next step in life,” he said, “I have no doubt it will continue to impact many more lives.”
To learn more about Upward Bound,
or to support this initiative, contact Sheryl Gillum at gillums@erau.edu,
or visit Upward Bound’s website:
prescott.erau.edu/degrees/
upward-bound.
