Upward Bound: What is it?

Upward Bound is a national, federally funded program for students all around the U.S. I’ve been a proud scholar of the program since the beginning of this year. Upward Bound at Clark University focuses on helping students in High School all around Worcester to fill out and submit their resumes for Colleges, prepare for SAT and MCAS, and other important requirements to graduate. Ever since joining Upward Bound, I’ve have made several connections, either by networking or simply making friends, and the instructors/staff members have been very welcoming, especially to new scholars like us joining the 4 year program. Although applying to become a scholar at Upward Bound was a lot of hard work, it’s paying off really well because of the new experiences we all share as a program, like listening to speeches from very knowledgeable people and going to tour colleges. As of yet, I’ve only been to Framingham State University however, there are plenty of more trips we’re going to do like in the summer, where all the scholars have to stay at dorms there at Clark University, traveling out of state to tour colleges, and work internships to expand our resumes.

 The Overall Purpose of the Brotherhood Sisterhood Leadership Conference:

“Our mission is to uplift and empower our high school students, college students, professionals, educators, and community leaders by affirming their experiences, engaging in team building workshops, building upon their own identity and knowledge of self, and enhancing their connection to network of first generation and/or ALANA/BIPOC community.

Our overall goal is to increase our network to assist in access, retention, and graduation of our first-generation, low income, and/or ALANA/BIPOC students in their journey to higher learning.

Together we can examine, model, and transform this experience into a stronger brotherhood and sisterhood of excellence.” – Office of Multicultural Affairs at Worcester State University. 

Registration & Continental Breakfast:

Waking up at 5:45am on a Saturday can be really stressful, however, the excitement later that morning would replace that feeling. I arrived at Worcester State University’s Wellness Center building at exactly 8:00am. Entering the building, I already saw a bunch of people registering and receiving goodie bags full of WSU merchandise and pamphlets, even though the Conference was starting at 9:00am. After waiting for my friend to arrive, we helped ourselves to a plate. I got some scrambled eggs, with some sausages, and my absolute favorite – vanilla chia pudding with some berries and honeydew melon! We also got some hot coffee on our way back to our seats.

Opening Address:

At the start of today’s agenda, Jermoh Kamara, the Mistress of Ceremony introduced us to herself and the Brotherhood Sisterhood Leadership Conference. Jermoh, a public health practitioner, City of Worcester 2024 Woman of Consequence awardee, and former elected official who served on the Worcester School Committee, and Co-Founder and President of the Massachusetts Organization of African Descendants (MOAD), did an excellent job with crowd work and transitions.

Before starting off the day with an interview from the guest speakers, the President of Worcester State University, Barry Maloney, made a wonderful speech which reads:

Dear Participants.

Welcome to the 2025 Brotherhood and Sisterhood Leadership Conference!

A collaborative effort between the Young Men’s Group and the Women’s Circle of Worcester State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, the conference offers a supportive and inclusive environment that fosters personal growth and community engagement.

We leverage the diversity of the vibrant city of Worcester in order to provide a unique and enriching experience. Through various workshops and activities, the goal is to empower all attendees, particularly first-generation and ALANA/BIPOC high school and college students, on their educational journeys.

Many have found inspiration in this experience and insights from successful community and university members. As an attendee of this conference, you will find practical skills and mentorship opportunities, which will motivate and guide you towards your own personal and professional achievements.

Here at Worcester State University, programs such as Alternatives for Individual Development and Upward Bound support first-generation and historically underserved students on their academic journeys In addition, a large percentage of our students receive federal and state financial aid, and we offer additional financial assistance through many scholarships. We also provide academic excellence at an affordable price compared to many other universities. Under our new ValuePlus program, we are free for families earning $75,000 or less. Additionally, our graduates have found that our signature MajorPlus academic framework, which entails earning two majors or a major and a minor, helps them compete in the job market or further their education.

Whether Worcester State is part of your personal plan or not, this conference will support you on your collegiate journey and help you lead with confidence and compassion. We look forward to seeing the impact you will have! – Barry Maloney, President of Worcester State University.

The Moderator for today was Manasseh Konadu Esq., who’s a Worcester, MA native, a 2019 graduate of WSU, and a 2021 graduate of the University of Massachusetts School of Law, an advocate for social justice, and much more. He’s also an Assistant Attorney General in Chicago, Illinois, dedicating his time upholding justice and advocating for the public interest.

During the Opening Address, he kindly introduced everyone to the Guest Speakers, Lamont J. Robinson Jr., who unfortunately could not make it for today’s conference, Emmanuel Larbi, who’s a Worcester-based entrepreneur and founder of Ākra Eatery & Juice Bar at the Worcester Public Market and who replaced Robinson Jr’s role for today, and last but not least, Rev. Dr. Paul A. McAllister, a Founder and President of Global Leaders in Unity and Evolvement (GLUE) and a former commissioned Officer in the United States Army, from 1996 to 2014, and an ordained minister in the Church of God (HQ: Anderson, Indiana), and much more. After everyone’s introduction, Konadu Esq. asked them a few questions relating to education, their occupations, how to stand up for yourself and advocate for your needs, and our current political climate.

Workshops:

After Kamara helped wrap the Opening Address up, we transitioned to Workshops one, two, and three. During each workshop, highschool students, college alumni, and other participants in today’s conference were able to pick and choose who they wanted to hear a presentation from in an assigned classroom. My first pick was Athena Callender, MBA, who’s a Visionary Leader, Certified Holistic Lifestyle & Business Strategist wife, mother, and grandmother, who’s also a Plant-Based Expert & Member of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Tribe. Her presentation was an excellent insight of not only her experiences working in the corporate world and becoming a mother and grandmother, but how your lifestyle and mindset can truly affect your overall well-being. My second pick was today’s Moderator: Manasseh Konadu Esq., who’s, once again, an Assistant Attorney General located in Chicago, Illinois. During his presentation alongside Emmanuel Larbi as a companion, Konadu thoroughly explained to us how certain amendments worked, and how we could apply that knowledge to our everyday lives.

My last pick was MAJ(Retired) Ellis J. Cropper MBA, ChFC, CLTC, who is a retired Army Major that served for 20 years+, a MFEC Advisory Board Member, and a financial professional for New York Life since 2018. During his presentation, he demonstrated how to accurately calculate our financial needs for college and taught us more about financial literacy while emphasizing the importance of higher education.

Luncheon & Alumni Panel Presentation:

For lunch, I got some delicious macaroni and cheese, some vegetable stir fry, and a piece of jerk chicken. Don’t mind all the hot sauce I dumped on it though. I also got another cup of hot coffee. Once people were finishing their plates, the Alumni Panel Presentation on the main stage began. The Moderator for the presentation was Kimberly Salmon, an Assistant Vice President for the Hanover Insurance Group. The Guest Speakers were Melanie Bonsu, Community Relations Manager for Saint Gobain, Sheldon Hollins, a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at a Community Health Center, Joseph Corazzini, Vice President for Government and Community Affairs at Clark University, Nana Darkwa Esq., who’s an Associate for ArentFox Schiff, and Cynthia Romero Esq., a Co-Founder/Managing Partner for Heirloom Law. During their presentation, they discussed several topics such as education, their occupations, eye-opening moments in their careers, and much more!

Closing Remarks:

To end the day off, the Moderator for the Alumni Panel Presentation, Kimberly Salmon, said her thanks, as well as all of the alumni, staff members, sponsors, other guest speakers and presenters, and everyone else involved for today’s event.

I would just like to say thank you Worcester State University and Upward Bound for inviting me to this memorable event! I learned a lot from today’s speakers and presentations, and I am very grateful for the experience. Thank you for following along, and do not forget to click the comment button on the right-hand side to share your opinions and critiques on this matter! Tune in for more articles.