UAF celebrates college access and TRIO Day

Feb. 2, 2022

Students and graduates from the University of Alaska Fairbanks will participate in the 2022 National TRIO Day celebration on Feb. 24 from noon-2 p.m. at the Wood Center multi-level lounge.

For millions of students from low-income families, those who experience a disability or strive to be the first in their families to attend and graduate from college, federally funded programs called TRIO are making a world of difference. UAF is home to two federal TRIO programs: Student Support Services (SSS) and Upward Bound (UB).

Each program will be honoring its award recipient for the TRIO champion. This award goes to an individual or department on campus who has gone above and beyond to support the mission of UAF’s TRIO programs by providing advocacy, professional development, and enthusiasm. This year the SSS recipients are the UAF Alumni Association and the UB recipient is the College of Engineering and Mines. SSS will also award a TRIO Achiever award, which recognizes a former TRIO participant for outstanding accomplishments. This year Nicole Jacobs ‘20 will accept the award.

Current College of Business and Security Management student and TRIO SSS participant Jenifer Garcia will be the student speaker for the event. The UAF Student Support Services program currently houses two grants. Combined, the grants can serve 300 students. Additional state funding allows support for an additional 100 students. SSS provides qualified bachelor degree seeking students comprehensive advising, career/major exploration, assistance with classes, and helping students connect with other campus resources.

"The progress our students have made over the past year has been tremendous, if not awe-inspiring, given the compounding challenges of our current educational landscape. The UAF SSS program has experienced success in the face of expanding services during the pandemic that would not have been possible without each and every campus partner and staff member in our office. I'm exceedingly grateful to be on a team with individuals who are dedicated, compassionate and student-centered.” said Victoria Smith, director of UAF SSS.

The UAF UB program has been in existence since 1966. Currently, UAF UB serves 160 students in 10 target schools in rural Alaska, providing services like tutoring, career exploration, scholarship preparation, cultural activities, and a six-week summer residence opportunity.

“The UAF Upward Bound Program provides a supportive framework for underserved high school students in ten rural communities to prepare for post-secondary education. With the support of an alliance of university and community organizations, the Upward Bound program provides structured opportunities for students to affect change in their communities and build the efficacy and resilience needed for college.” said Adam Low, director of UAF UB.

A livestream of the event will be at media.uaf.edu.