This spring, students from Portland State's pre-college TRIO programs were awarded six out of Portland's eight Gates Millennium Scholarships toward their educations at universities in Oregon, Arizona, and Washington. Four Upward Bound students and two Educational Talent Search: Project PLUS students earned the awards.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Portland State's Upward Bound is a college preparation program for Portland Public School District high school students. Project PLUS serves middle and high school students in both Hillsboro and Portland School Districts.

The programs serve low-income students, whose parents do not hold bachelors degrees, by encouraging the students to stay in high school, graduate, and enroll in higher education. The programs provide academic services like tutoring and high school credit classes, as well as college visits, career exploration, and financial aid and college admissions assistance.

Portland State's Upward Bound and Project PLUS programs currently serve approximately 700 students. To date, 9 percent of the students have remained in the program through high school graduation, with 92 percent enrolling in college immediately after high school. Since 1998, 80 percent of enrolled Upward Bound students are either in college or have graduated.

The Upward Bound Gates Scholarship winners are Amanda Anderson, Pauling Academy, University of Oregon; Du Lam, Franklin High School, Oregon State University; Amin Tuffa, Jefferson High School, University of Arizona; and Ngan Ha, Madison High School, Portland State University. The Project PLUS Gates Scholarship winners are Luccie Vu-Phan, Madison High School, University of Washington; and Anh Nguyen, Madison High School, Oregon State University.

Upward Bound student Tram Ngo has also won several scholarships, and six Project PLUS students at Hillsboro High School have won other scholarships. They are Adriana Barron-Puga, Jacinto Can Gongora, Brittany Roach, Diego Lopez, Nolan Hergert, and Inhkuong Lor.