Students, staff celebrated at TRIO ceremony

February 20, 2019

This week UAF, along with universities throughout the country, will recognize underrepresented limited income, first-generation and disabled students for overcoming barriers and succeeding in college. Student Support Services and Upward Bound will celebrate national TRIO Day, named for the federal program that provides grant funding, on Thursday, Feb. 21. The award and recognition program will be held in the Wood Center multilevel lounge from noon-2 p.m., and is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

The event will feature addresses by Provost Anupma Prakash and SSS student speaker Charles Rossiter.

UAF TRIO programs will also honor a distinguished graduate through the TRIO Achiever award at the event. Samara Taber, the director of the Office of Admissions and a Student Support Services alumna, has been an advocate for TRIO-eligible students during her years of service at UAF.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski and her staff will be honored with the TRIO Champion award for their work throughout the past year to secure the Upward Bound grant that was nearly defunded in 2017.

For over 50 years UAF’s TRIO programs have been providing comprehensive academic support to students from under-resourced backgrounds. Today, an estimated 5 million students have graduated from college with the support and assistance of TRIO programs across the country, and 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.

Upward Bound is a pre-college program to prepare and bridge high school students into postsecondary education. The UAF Upward Bound program has been in existence since 1966 and is one of the oldest TRIO programs in the nation. Currently, UB serves 160 students in 10 target high schools in rural Alaska, providing services like tutoring, career exploration, scholarship preparation, cultural activities, and a six-week summer residence opportunity.

Student Support Services is a collegiate program that offers a wide range of academic support services and personal development activities to students with demonstrated need. Through a combination of federal and state funding, SSS serves 280 students each academic year. SSS staff work with students to achieve their educational goals, including persistence in higher education and completing a baccalaureate degree, while also aiding personal development.

SSS Director Victoria Smith knows the benefits of the TRIO programs, as she has been a participant in Talent Search, Upward Bound Math/Science, and was also a student in the UAF SSS program.

"Throughout the past year we've faced a number of challenges as an institution, budgetary and otherwise," said Smith. "While it is easy to feel anxious and uncertain, I encourage students, staff and faculty to take time to celebrate students and their success. Sstudent success is happening every day in subtle and understated ways. In the face of uncertainty, resilient students are putting in the work to better their lives and the lives of their families. It's a beautiful thing, and it makes me feel hopeful for the future of this university and this state."

For more information on this event, contact SSS director Victoria Smith at vrsmith@alaska.edu or 474-6844 or Upward Bound director John Monahan at jdmonahan@alaska.edu or 474-5685.