The focus on equity and inclusion in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s led to the creation of Upward Bound (UB). The core mission of UB is to prepare high school students with the academic and social skills necessary to enroll in post-secondary education and beyond. However, there is a lack of empirical studies on how the growth of students' social and emotional skills is supported within UB programs. Using a qualitative phenomenological study, I critically examined how implementing the principles of social and emotional learning (SEL) influenced the academic success and degree completion of underrepresented students in the UB program. As perceived through the lens of UB program alumni who were currently in leadership positions (leading their own lives), I empirically documented how SEL in Upward Bound programs impacted UB alumni's academic, social and emotional development, and leadership success. Eight former Upward Bound alumni of Upward Bound programs located at one of three institutions of higher learning in the south-central United States, participated in my data collection process. My participants verbally consented to participate in a 30--45-minute interview that consisted of 13 semi-structured interview questions. I collected data through phone calls, emails, video conferencing, and face-to face interviews. My key findings indicated that faculty support, role models, programming, and opportunities to develop social and emotional skills were salient. Consistent with other studies, I also found self-management skills, flexibility skills, and conscious awareness of emotions contributed to the participants' social and emotional development. The conclusion of my study indicated that my participants developed a self-authored life which they constructed through lived experiences and participation in the Upward Bound program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]