A man in a suit leans against a wall looking at the camera, holding a short cane in his hand. A bookshelf and desks are visible in the background.
Marquan Jones, a new member of the Charlottesville Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., poses in his fraternity regalia. Jones, a 2019 graduate of UVA's Upward Bound college prep program, reflected on the transformative impact that it had on him as well as his older sister. UVA has discontinued funding for the program as of Aug. 1. Jones shared his experience as part of First Person Charlottesville, a program of Charlottesville Inclusive Media. Credit: Photo by Arrick Wilson, courtesy of Vinegar Hill Magazine

For nearly 60 years, UVA’s Upward Bound — later rebranded as Uplift@UVa — has been transformative for first-generation college students and families with limited incomes to help prepare them for higher education. Marquan Jones, a 2019 graduate of the program, credits it with giving him the confidence and skills to thrive in college and beyond.

“It wasn’t just about academics,” he reflects in Vinegar Hill Magazine, “it was about learning who I was and building a community that believed in me.”

Now, UVA has discontinued Uplift@UVa, citing budget and enrollment challenges. While the university points to other programs supporting local youth, the closure is a heavy loss for a community that has relied on the program for decades.

Jones’ story is part of First Person Charlottesville, a program of Charlottesville Inclusive Media, a partnership between Vinegar Hill Magazine, the In My Humble Opinion radio show and Charlottesville Tomorrow.

Read about his experience in Vinegar Hill Magazine.

Subscribers to the Daily Progress can read more about the discontinuation of the program here.

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Hi! I’m Allie, Charlottesville Tomorrow’s Public Institutions Reporter. I'm a corps member with Report for America and part of the Open Campus cohort of journalists who report on higher education.