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Veterans receive the help they need to get a college degree

There are 50 veterans signed up to take part in the new Veterans Upward Bound program at the University of Southern Maine. A program that helps veterans receive a college degree after serving their country.

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER Maine) -- Upward Bound is a program that helps Maine students figure out a way to afford and get into college. They are now doing that for adults who have served their country.

Veterans Upward Bound is in its first year of offering help to veterans wanting to go to college. It was started at the University of Southern Maine (USM), but according to Aaron Dombroski, program coordinator, he helps veterans get into any college that best fits them. Dombroski is also a veteran who understands how difficult it is for someone to go from an extremely structured schedule to one that's completely free will.

"In the military you're used to doing certain things a certain way," said Dombroski. "There's a certain protocol and there's a certain hierarchy and it starts to make sense over time and then you come to a college world where you have to show up to class two days a week for one class and everything else is kind of on your own. It's readjusting to that life style."

Veterans Upward Bound provides advising, mentoring and tutoring at no cost. Christopher Wheeler has enrolled in the online emergency management program at the University of Maine at Fort Kent. A veteran, Mainer and the first in his family to receive a college degree.

"It popped up and I looked into and I was like yes I meet this criteria, yes I'd be the first person in my family that would be getting a degree, so it's a total win," said Wheeler. "I was pretty excited about it."

There are currently 50 veterans signed up for college in the fall through the Veterans Upward Bound. It is funded to help 125 veterans get into college every year, so there are still 75 spots available for anyone interested in enrolling.

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