WKU News

Students, alumni, and staff from Western Kentucky University’s TRIO programs will celebrate the 2022 National TRIO Day on Saturday, February 26, to express appreciation to the community for its support of TRIO programs.

For millions of students from low-income families who strive to be the first in their families to attend and graduate from college, seven federally funded programs called TRIO are making a world of difference. WKU is home to eight TRIO projects which serve over 3,350 participants at WKU and across southcentral Kentucky.

WKU Student Support Services will host an Open House for National TRIO Day that includes an office tour, games, food, and more. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Jones-Jaggers Hall 132.

Shwe Win, a WKU junior who is an alum of the Educational Talent Search program and a current Student Support Services participant, states, “I was able to get support to apply to colleges. I got to meet an amazing person named Ms. Shaw who has helped me figure out what I want to become and really take my hand and has walked me through every step of what I needed to do to be where I am today. I want the word to spread because I know the value of this program and I want every other kid to have the opportunities that I had.”

“First-generation students often carry college full course loads while working full-time jobs to support themselves and help their families,” said Maureen Hoyler, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education. “These students are first in their families to meet these new challenges to break the cycle of poverty. They’re remarkable and deserve great recognition.”

Unlike student financial aid programs which help students overcome financial hurdles to higher education, the TRIO programs recognize the importance of overcoming all barriers to success. For more than 50 years, they have been providing valuable supportive services to help first-generation students and students from low-income families, veterans, and students with disabilities enter and graduate from college.

TRIO services include:

• Assistance in choosing a college.
• Tutoring.
• Personal and financial counseling.
• Career counseling.
• Assistance in applying to college.
• Workplace and college visits.
• Special instruction in reading, writing, study skills, and mathematics.
• Assistance in applying for financial aid.
• Academic support in high school or service to re-enter high school.

Today more than 1,000 colleges, universities, and community agencies host more than 2,800 TRIO projects that serve more than 800,000 young people and adults.

TRIO serves students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Currently, 34% of TRIO students are White, 33% are African-American, 21% are Hispanic, 4% are Asian- American or Pacific Islander, 4% are American Indian, and 1% are listed as “other,” including multiracial students.

Contact: Dr. Martha Sales, martha.sales@wku.edu