For immediate release: Jan. 22, 2007

BLOOMSBURG — A Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania alumna is the new director of BU’s Upward Bound program.

Kate Jesberg Bauman ’97 succeeds longtime director Maureen Mulligan, who retired in early January. Previously Upward Bound’s assistant director, Bauman joined the program in 2005 as academic coordinator.

As academic coordinator and assistant director, Bauman visited the 10 high schools involved in Upward Bound and worked with students in both the school-based and summer residential portions of the program. In her new position, she plans to build upon the relationships with students, their families and school guidance counselors while meeting alumni of the program, which has existed at BU for nearly 30 years.

Bauman worked in residence life at Penn State Hazleton, admissions at Delaware Valley College and as director of career services at DeSales University before joining BU’s Upward Bound staff. Bauman called her new position “a blend of my favorite parts of every job I’ve ever had.”

“I have great respect for the legacy and history of the program,” Bauman said. “I’m looking forward to growing with the program, and I’m excited to work with our dedicated staff, the students and their families.”

Upward Bound is open to high school students from low-income backgrounds. The program stresses academics and diversity to prepare students to become the first members of their families to attend college. At BU, the Upward Bound started in 1978 and currently serves students from the following school districts: Berwick, Bloomsburg, Mahanoy Area, Milton, Minersville, Mount Carmel, North Schuylkill, Pottsville, Shamokin and Shikellamy. Eighty-nine percent of Upward Bound students who come through BU’s program go on to college and about one-third enroll at BU.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Professional Studies, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.