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K-State Today

February 20, 2019

ESS and McNair programs celebrate National TRIO Day

Submitted by Cheryl Rauh

Federal TRIO Programs logo.

Across the nation, Federal TRIO programs will celebrate our work and our history on Saturday, Feb. 23. As part of this celebration, the TRIO programs on the K-State Manhattan campus, Educational Supportive Services and the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, will host a series of events and learning opportunities.

TRIO Day events on the Manhattan campus:

  • All of February — History of TRIO at K-State. Learn more about our programs from the west display case in Holton Hall, first-floor lobby.
  • Feb. 25-March 1 — Postcard Campaign and Food Drive. Students, alumni, faculty and staff are invited to stop by a TRIO program office to drop off a nonperishable food item for Cats' Cupboard and fill out a postcard sharing how TRIO has impacted them. Postcards will be mailed to state representatives at the end of our TRIO Day celebration.
  • Feb. 25-March 1 — #McNairIsEverywhere. Follow @KStateMcNair on Twitter to see miniature biographies of McNair Scholars, alumni, and staff through the week. Learn about the diverse identities and affiliations of our McNair community.
  • Feb. 26, 2-4 p.m. — TRIO Open House. Stop by 102 and 103 Holton Hall to visit with our TRIO program staff and students to learn more about our programs. Light refreshments will be available.
  • March 1 — Tara Ruttley at Emporia. McNair students and staff will travel to Emporia State University to hear McNair alumna and NASA scientist Tara Ruttley speak.

About TRIO
Federal TRIO programs are educational opportunity programs designed to get students to and through college. In the early 60s, three educational opportunity programs were established as part of the War on Poverty: Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search, and Student Support Services. These programs were designed to help income-limited students get to and through college. They were first labelled TRIO in the 1968 amendment of The Higher Education Act of 1965. The name stuck. TRIO now includes seven different programs that support access to and success in earning a college education. Eligibility varies by program, but supported groups include income-limited students, first-generation college students, veterans, individuals with disabilities, individuals from groups underrepresented in higher education, and working adults. An eighth program exists to support the professional development of TRIO staff.

The two TRIO programs on the Manhattan Campus are both directed by Kathleen Greene.

Educational Supportive Services
103 Holton Hall, 785-532-5642, essinfo@k-state.edu
Supports persistence in postsecondary education and student completion of a bachelor’s degree. ESS offers holistic support with academics, financial aid navigation, professional development, and access to community and cultural events. Signature features of the program include one-to-one tutoring, academic troubleshooting sessions, and university success workshops.
Eligibility: first-generation, income-limited, individuals with documented disabilities

Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program
102 Holton Hall, 785-532-6137, mcnair@k-state.edu
Prepares talented and curious undergraduate students for graduate school, especially the doctorate. The McNair program offers a rigorous summer research internship, writing development, weekly professional development seminars, and guidance during the graduate school application process.
Eligibility: first-generation and income-limited, individuals with documented disabilities

The Polytechnic campus maintains two programs: Upward Bound and Student Support Services.