The Arkansas Tech University Veterans Upward Bound program hosted its inaugural Veterans Success Summit on Saturday, July 18, at Lake Dardanelle State Park.
The summit brought together veteran-serving organizations, community leaders and advocates to strengthen partnerships and expand resources available to veterans pursuing higher education and career opportunities.
Guest speakers from the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Pope County Veterans Service Office and Staffmark offered their perspectives, as did veterans advocate Trever Drown.
Additional veteran-serving and workforce partners participated in networking and resource sharing throughout the event with a goal of fostering collaboration among organizations that support veterans across the region.
“Building on the partnerships and momentum established this year, Veterans Upward Bound looks forward to hosting the second annual Veterans Success Summit in 2027, continuing its commitment to connecting veterans with education, resources and opportunities for success,” said Kristie Canada, director of ATU Veterans Upward Bound.
Veterans Upward Bound at Arkansas Tech University is a federally-funded TRIO program. One hundred percent of its funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
As a college-neutral program, Veterans Upward Bound assists eligible veterans in preparing for and succeeding in postsecondary education, regardless of the institution they choose to attend. The program serves veterans throughout a 10-county region by providing academic support, college and career planning, admissions assistance and connections to campus and community resources.
Learn more at www.atu.edu/vub.
