Celebrating first-generation college students nationally
The TRIO Programs, located on the campus of Purdue University Northwest, are federally funded programs by the United States Department of Education, intended to provide students from various counties within the Northwest Indiana region with access to higher education.
The origins and foundations of TRIO Programs, as an item within the federal budget, can be traced to the domestic policy of the 36th president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson.
President Johnson, affectionately known as “LBJ,” introduced to Congress the Equal Opportunities Act of 1964 and the Higher Education Act of 1965 in what would arguably be his landmark legislation designed to close the achievement gap through the Johnson administration’s “War on Poverty.”
Out of these landmark educational policies, three TRIO Programs were created ranging from Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search, and Student Support Services. President Johnson set a standard of presidential leadership in regard to college access and opportunity, much in part due to his humble beginnings growing up in Texas with access to limited educational opportunities.
The TRIO Programs on the campus of Purdue University Northwest are continuing the legacy and vision of LBJ by preparing and guiding the region’s middle, high school and active college students with a plethora of programs and services that support completing high school, attending college and graduating from college and beyond.
Henceforth, this process is executed by an array of services that TRIO Programs provide for the region’s income eligible, students from underserved communities, and potential first-generation college students.
Some of the programmed services consists of, but are not limited to: preparing for the ACT/SAT exam; developing academic resumes; researching scholarship opportunities; completing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms; academic tutoring; cultural tours/ activities; college tours; graduate school support; and access to an array of workshops and seminars for students.
As we embark on the Nov. 8 celebratory date of which President Johnson signed the landmark Higher Education Act of 1965 that gave birth to TRIO Programs, let’s take a moment to reflect on the accomplishments and progress that first generation college students have made and are making to provide our college campuses with robust perspectives and experiences while preparing to contribute to our democratic and economic way of life in the Northwest Indiana region.
Being the first in your family to pursue and earn a bachelor’s degree and beyond is not only an achievement, but an act of courage that can change the trajectory of a first-generation graduate’s life socially, politically, and economically, while closing the achievement gap and increasing wealth-earning opportunities in the Northwest Indiana region and beyond.
Today, we celebrate our first-generation college students with fervency and zeal while reflecting on the federal legislation that opened the doors to higher education for millions of Americans of humble beginnings.