Ken came to the Veterans Upward Bound program for the Spring 2005 semester. He had been out of school for 22 years, and told VUB he felt he was “at the end of my rope and just hanging on.” He had some college credits and thought that maybe by returning to school he could get his life back on track, and hoped a “refresher” would give him the confidence he needed to succeed. Within a few weeks in VUB classes he felt a “reawakening” of his love to learn. He completed VUB and was accepted to U.Mass-Boston where he majored in Accounting and Management Information Systems. While taking classes at UMB, Ken continued working with VUB as a math tutor. Ken graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2008. While at UMB, Ken met his future wife Debra, and they were married in the Summer of 2009. Today Ken teaches Algebra at VUB and is employed as a medical office manager. He attends every semester’s VUB orientation and addresses incoming students with an inspiring message about persistence, dedication, and the importance of education in achieving your goals.