Mom Mentality

Carylanne Rice-Ehalt takes a no-nonsense,“old school” approach to leading Upward Bound college prep program. Success follows.

From the Winter 2024 issue of Sacred Heart University Magazine

High schoolers can tell if you really care about them. They sense it through interactions and conversations.

Carylanne Rice-Ehalt knows this, and it’s why she uses her “mom mentality” to support students in her role as executive director of SHU’s Upward Bound program. Rice-Ehalt lets the teachers handle the academics, while she concentrates on instilling good manners and how to show respect.

“I’m old school,” says the mother of three.

Thirty-five years ago, Upward Bound started as a pilot program at Sacred Heart. The federally funded college prep program for underserved area high school students was developed to equip the young people with the skills and confidence they need to succeed in college. Rice-Ehalt took on the job as director in 1989, not knowing she’d still be in the role decades later.

Upward Bound runs year-round on SHU’s campus. Students meet two Saturdays a month. They listen to speakers, work on their studies and get served a hot breakfast at 63’s dining hall. Then, June through August, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., students are exposed to academics, hear from guest speakers and learn what potential career paths they can explore. They also benefit from cultural enrichment. The group goes to Broadway shows, the beach and overnight trips to Boston and other cities.

During the summer and Saturday programs, teachers and tutors work with the high schoolers on academics, but Rice-Ehalt believes the program is much more than math and English lessons. It’s about helping students be successful in whatever path they choose. And to do that, they need to learn basic life skills.

“When I first started at SHU, I made sure to stick to the curriculum and the guidelines on how the program was run,” Rice-Ehalt says. “It wasn’t until about four years in that I really saw my vision.”

Weddings, baby showers and lunch dates

Rice-Ehalt believes in sitting down and talking with students one-on-one to break down barriers. From day one, she lets students know they can’t talk back and explains what she expects of them. She teaches them to open doors, say please and thank you, be confident and more.

“A lot of things people take for granted, I spend my time on,” she says. “I’m proud of the kids who present themselves well, know how to ask questions and speak in public.”

The combination of life skills and academics helps many students achieve success. Over the years, Rice-Ehalt has watched students blossom into doctors, law enforcement officers, architects and more.

Recently, two brothers who completed this Upward Bound preparation went on to elite colleges. Benhur Gebretinsae received a full-ride scholarship to Wesleyan University, and his younger brother Abel started at Stanford University this fall.

“I always love hearing back from alumni,” says Rice-Ehalt, who has been invited to weddings, bridal and baby showers, lunch dates and more.

“When a student tells me they got into a certain college and that I’m the first person they told, that really touches my heart,” she says.

“And when the kid doesn’t think they’re going to get into the college and it turns out they do,” she adds, “it’s the best. They deserve it; they earned it.”

Never take opportunities for granted

Breiana Campbell’s mom happened to read an article about Upward Bound early on in her daughter’s high school career. Mother and daughter agreed: the program had the potential to shape Campbell’s future.

“What I appreciated most about Upward Bound was the dedication of the directors and teachers,” says Campbell, who graduated from Notre Dame Prep of Sacred Heart University in 2016. “They were deeply committed to ensuring that I was doing well and set me on a path that could lead to long-term success.”

Campbell also valued the social environment as she connected with classmates from similar backgrounds, and together they encouraged each other to push toward being the best versions of themselves.

After high school, Campbell majored in neuroscience at Dartmouth College and completed her pre-med requirements. She worked in health care consulting for three years and last year began her journey at Weill Cornell Medicine in Manhattan. She’s currently in her second year of medical school.

“Upward Bound was instrumental in building my confidence for college,” Campbell says. “It taught me to engage with professors, ask thoughtful questions and advocate for myself.”

Additionally, Campbell says experiencing college life firsthand on Sacred Heart’s campus provided valuable insight into the independence required in higher education.

Her advice for current Upward Bound students: Seize every opportunity the program offers. “The administrators are deeply invested in your success, and their support is something not every student has access to,” Campbell says. “Attend every class, ask thoughtful questions and make the most of the chance to experience college life before it officially begins.”

Rice-Ehalt is proud of Campbell’s lofty achievements, but she is just as proud of students who excel in trade school or community college. Either way, it means Upward Bound worked. Rice-Ehalt doesn’t believe in the motto “If I reach one kid, I’ve done my job.” She wants to reach as many kids as possible. She wants to share more successes, big and small.

“I consider myself blessed,” Rice-Ehalt says, “and I’m proud of the work I’ve done.”

Photo: Upward Bound students join Rice-Ehalt (front, in sunglasses) on SHU's campus for a Saturday session.