Colorado State Unversity Celebrates Federal Programs that Help Disadvantaged Students Overcome Educational Barriers

Colorado State University will celebrate National TRIO Day Feb. 20. The federal TRIO programs are in their 38th year of helping disadvantaged students succeed.

The Colorado State University TRIO program staff, students and alumni will gather from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the President’s Room at Ammons Hall on campus for a celebration that will include a short program and refreshments. The program will include a presentation on the successes of the program and its graduates, addresses by TRIO members from around Colorado. Fort Collins Mayor Ray Martinez will provide the program welcome and will read a proclamation a proclamation from Governor Bill Owens will also be read.

The Federal TRIO Programs are educational opportunity outreach programs created to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes programs that assist low-income and first generation to succeed from middle school to graduate school. Students are given help to overcome financial, cultural, social and academic barriers

There are more than 2,600 TRIO programs that serve 823,000 students across the nation. Colorado serves 18,343 participants through 44 programs at 19 institutions. TRIO has five programs housed at Colorado State that have made accomplishments in increasing participant’s enrollment in college, participant’s graduation rates and their enrollment in graduate school.

Nationally, 39 percent of TRIO students are white, 36 percent are African-American, 16 percent are Hispanic, 5 percent are Native American and 4 percent are Asian. Sixteen thousand TRIO students have disabilities.

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 assistance in high school or assistance to re-enter high school.