Upward Bound Academy to host 2023 college and community resource fair

by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC public information manager

The Kansas City Kansas Community College Upward Bound Academy is hosting its inaugural 2023 College and Community Resource Fair “Empowering Student Scholars” from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 10 in Upper Jewell on the KCKCC Main Campus, 7250 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas.

The free event is designed to empower high school students from Schlagle and Washington high schools and provide them an opportunity to apply to participate in the KCKCC Upward Bound Academy – a unique college preparatory initiative designed to help ensure collegiate success. The Upward Bound Academy is the latest in several community engagement programs at KCKCC. Only 60 slots are available so please make sure you secure a spot for your student by applying now. Former Upward Bound students and the Upward Bound Support Team will conduct a real talk segment highlighting their experience(s) while participating in TRIO Upward Bound programs.

KCKCC was awarded the Upward Bound (UB) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Upward Bound is a national program designed to help participants gain the skills and motivation necessary to successfully complete high school and to enter and succeed in a postsecondary program at the college or university of their choice. Upward Bound provides students with academic, cultural and social activities intended to build skills, motivation and self-confidence.

During this event, high school students and their families will also be invited to explore options and connect with resources serving the greater Kansas City, Kan. community. Registered guests will enjoy dinner and a chance to connect with more than 25 local community organizations and colleges. One-on-one sessions are also available with admission representatives from public and private colleges and universities. Both two- and four-year schools will be featured.

Participants will receive tips on how to navigate the college selection process and learn more about admission requirements, financial aid, course offerings and campus life. Students and parents can discuss individual needs with college experts at the fair’s college advising center. A variety of KCKCC programs will also be present.

Highlights of the event include activities for the whole family:

  • Giveaways
  • Raffle prizes
  • Food-secure grocery bags
  • Health and wellness baskets
  • Student encouragement swag bags

This event is made possible through a partnership with KCKCC Basic Needs Services. For more information on this initiative, contact Coordinator Fyn Morrigan at 913-288- 7492 or at [email protected].  

Additional information regarding this event or the Upward Bound Academy is available by contacting Veronica Knight, director of KCKCC’s Upward Bound Academy, at 913-288-7483 or at [email protected]. Please direct email inquiries to [email protected].

KCKCC art gallery honors Black history month with exhibit

The Kansas City Kansas Community College Art Gallery’s first exhibition in 2023 is an artistic exploration of Black Appalachian culture.

In celebration of the exhibition, there will be a virtual artist talk for “Holler If You See Me: Black Appalachia” from 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 21 in the art gallery. The talk can also be seen on the art gallery’s Facebook page. Additionally, a closing reception will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 31.

The gallery is in the Jewell Center on the KCKCC Main Campus, 7250 State Ave. The event is free and open to the public. The exhibition runs until March 31.

The exhibition features 10 Black Appalachian artists’ efforts for inclusion, equality and negotiating self amidst systematic disenfranchisement, violence and loss. The artists’ quests for self-determination are aided in art as they reassert their presence, express dissent and acquire empowerment. The exhibit features artists Jonathan Adams, Akintayo Akintobi, Lynn Bachman, Tramel Fain, Pam Faw, Dexter Greenlee, Anissa Lewis, Mary Martin and Travis Prince.

The curators are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, director of Slocumb Galleries and Midsouth Sculpture Alliance board member and LGBTQ Lyn Govette, curatorial fellow. Slocumb Galleries explore the nuanced identities of the Black bodies from various Appalachian states through the lens of ‘Black Diaspora,’ displacement and trauma.

For more information on the exhibition or events, contact Shai Perry, coordinator of the KCKCC Art Gallery, at [email protected].

  • From Kelly Rogge, KCKCC