Good Returns: Upward Bound alum and director Rusty Brown gives back to
transformative program
By Casey Kelly ’19G, ’25 CGS
In the early 1990s as a student at Belfast Area High School, Rusty Brown ’98, ’01G admits that
he was “floundering” somewhat on his educational journey. At a particularly low moment,
coming off a three-day out-of-school suspension, a guidance counselor suggested that he might
be a good candidate for Upward Bound (UB).
Established by the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and later the Higher Education Act of
1965, UB is part of a cluster of federally funded U.S. college readiness and outreach programs,
known as TRIO programs, which are designed to identify and provide services for students from
economically disadvantaged backgrounds. UB is aimed specifically at students who will be the
first in their immediate family to attend college.
Following the recommendation from his guidance counselor, Brown applied for and was
accepted to the program, offered through the University of Maine, and participated in his first
classic Upward Bound summer program in 1992.
“After that first amazing summer experience, I went from floundering to being on the honor roll
for the rest of high school,” Brown said. “I participated enthusiastically in every UB event and
summer program until I graduated [high school] in 1994.”
Brown, now the director of UMaine’s UB programs, entered the university as a history major,
eventually graduating with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 1998 and a master’s
in counselor education in 2001. Without UB, he says he would have been “severely underprepared in every basic skill set
imperative for all college students’ success.” He credits the program with teaching him
prioritization and time management skills and helping him develop the confidence to approach
instructors with questions during class and office hours.
“Upward Bound taught me financial literacy skills and how to navigate the complexities of
applying for and receiving federal student aid, how to actively seek scholarships to help
supplement my college costs and to reduce my overall college debt,” said Brown. “My college
success is because of the blood, sweat, and tears I put into my time at the University of Maine,
however UB prepared me to focus those energies and efforts to be successful.”
In college, Brown worked as a summer staff member and later a graduate assistant with
UMaine’s UB program. From 2001-12, he was the UB program coordinator and returned as the
academic coordinator from 2018-23. Since 2023, he has served as the director of Upward
Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science at UMaine. All told, he has worked for the program for
23 years.
“My time as an Upward Bound student set the stage for my personal and professional success,”
Brown said. “The lessons I learned then, and still carry with me today, have guided my work as
a professional, and I can wholeheartedly say UB was, and continues to be, the inspiration that
leads me to do good work in my part of the world. It has been my privilege and pleasure to call
myself a UB alum and UB staff, and I am eternally grateful to have had these guiding
experiences in my life.”
What was the most interesting, engaging or helpful part of your Upward Bound
experience?
During my summer programs we had three amazing history/civics teachers who held “mock
trials” at the end of every week of instruction. The students would be divided into two different
groups: the “prosecution” and “defense” counsel for historical figures that coincided with our
learning material. I absolutely could not have enjoyed anything more than one week “defending”
Robespierre and the next week “prosecuting” Sarah Good as we studied the Salem Witch trials.
It was not just the thrill of debating (which I truly enjoyed) but the skill set required to suspend
your own personal beliefs and values (I did not believe that what happened to Sarah Good was
right and/or just, for example) in order to examine an issue from all perspectives to develop a
broader understanding of any topic. These history classes sparked a previously unknown
academic fervor in me.
Did you work closely with any mentors or Upward Bound staff members who
made your experience in the program better? If so, who were they and how did
they do that?
Becky Colannino ’89, ’92G, the retired UB director at UMaine, was the UB counselor who would
visit my school and with whom I would have the vast majority of my individual academic
sessions. I remember Becky using the phrase “talented underachiever” in some of our meetings
to describe the potential she saw in me as a scholar. These were the exact words I needed to
hear. In a compassionate way, she let me know that I was creating the biggest barrier to my
success and that if I was willing to walk a different path I could create more opportunities for
myself. Becky also validated the tough times I was going through in high school being raised by
a single mom who did the best she could with what she had but who struggled with both mental
health and alcohol addiction. The validation of these experiences were always coupled with
holding me accountable for my academic performance. She let me know that success was
within my grasp if I was willing to work hard to overcome the challenges of “the life I was given”
and lay the foundation for “the life I was willing to work for.” Becky helped me believe in myself
and with every new learning experience Upward Bound put in front of me, I was more ready and
willing to accept new challenges!
What’s the most memorable moment from your Upward Bound experience?
There are many, many great memories from my time in Upward Bound, but if I was to choose
one that stands out it would be a group trip to Boston during the summer between graduating
high school and starting at UMaine. That summer is called the “Bridge” summer for students
who choose to participate. I had never been further than Conway, New Hampshire where my
great aunt lived, and I remember so vividly driving over the Tobin Bridge and seeing Boston for
the first time. It was magical seeing this city of possibilities in front of me and the hope it inspired
(and a little anxiety too) was thrilling. We toured Newbury College, ate at a German restaurant,
went on the Freedom Trail, and saw the science museum and the aquarium. My family could
never afford a trip like that, and I felt like that one weekend in July of 1994 I saw more of the
world than any time in my previous 17 years. I keep a picture from that weekend handy and am
still in touch with the other UB students in that picture. What a pleasure it has been to follow
their stories and to see their success!
As a former Upward Bound participant yourself, what fulfilment do you get from
working with Upward Bound students today?
It is a privilege to work with these talented students who are willing and wanting to go out of
their way to make a difference in their own lives! Our program is voluntary, so every one of our
participants has made the choice to seek additional support to be successful in preparing for,
applying to, and enrolling in a college educational path of their choosing.
How do you approach mentoring young people who participate in Upward
Bound?
I’ve heard it said that “patience is a virtue,” and this is the foundation of the approach I employ
when working with high school students. Just about all of the academic and pre-college skill
building that Upward Bound engages in with our students is very new to them, and so it is
important to show them patience as you help them start to “help themselves.” We are
introducing them to the possibility that they can go to college if they choose, which is often a
foreign world to them and their families. There can be a lot of anxiety about being the first in
your family to go to college, so patiently helping students prepare for the differences they will
encounter when they go to college is important as well. Collegiate success happens both in the
classroom and outside of it. We do our best to make sure they are as prepared as possible to
do well with their academic work but also have as much skill in knowing how to advocate for
themselves with vital college departments, such as financial aid, the business office, and more.
Is there anything else you think people should know about Upward Bound?
We have the privilege of working with some of our students for the entirety of their high school
career, so that gives us a lot of time to develop trust-based relationships. Upward Bound
programs also assist our partner schools by providing individualized, pre-college guidance to
our participants — increasing their capacity to help all of their students by lessening their
workload.