JoLynn Bailey | jbaile17@uwsuper.edu

Attention students! First generation, those below federal income guidelines, and those registered with disability services, TRIO Student Support Services can be a valuable part of your UW-Superior experience. TRIO is a federally funded program aimed to help students of lower economic stature succeed with college.

“TRIO Student Support Services offers opportunities at no cost. It’s one-on-one advocacy, helps students with time management, and it gets students back on track if they need it,” said M.S.Ed, TRIO Program Coordinator Kylie Sievers. “It teaches financial literacy, planning for the future, and keeps students on the path to graduation.”

Director for TRIO, Dr. Marsha Lue, explains that the organization began with Lyndon B. Johnson’s war on poverty. She says that TRIO is an ‘umbrella term’ that encompasses three programs. Upward Bound, which is geared toward high school students, prepares its participants for college; The Undergraduate Program works with college students, and the McNair Program helps prepare students for graduate school.

“It’s better if students can come into the program as a freshman so they have these services for all four years of college,” encouraged Lue. “The program is very encompassing; we provide tutoring, veteran services, and can even help with deciphering an advising report. We can also help underrepresented students in grad school.”

For students to keep their TRIO qualification, they must remain in good academic standing, maintaining a 2.0 GPA. TRIO serves around 16 students each year.

Some opportunities that TRIO suggests any students to take is to attend the Career Fairs that happen each spring and fall semester. “It’s a low-stakes environment where people can introduce themselves to potential employers,” said Sievers. “They can offer an elevator pitch and talk with you about your major for a tailored experience.”

“The career fair is great for networking. Students can follow up with potential employers,” said Lue. The Career Fair hosted by the Link Center every semester.