What is TRiO?
The Federal TRIO Programs are educational opportunity outreach programs designed to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in accessing post-secondary education. Federal TRIO Programs (Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math/Science, Veterans' Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program) help students to overcome class, social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education.
The history of TRIO is progressive. It began with Upward Bound which emerged out of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 in response to the administration's War on Poverty. In 1965, Talent Search, the second outreach program, was created as part of the Higher Education Act. In 1968, Student Support Services, which was originally known as Special Services for Disadvantaged Students, was authorized by the Higher Education Amendments and became the third in a series of educational opportunity programs. By the late 1960's the term "TRIO" was coined to describe these federal programs.
Over the years the TRIO Programs have been expanded and improved to provide a wider range of services and to reach more students who need assistance. The Higher Education Amendments of 1972, 1976 and 1990 created additional programs to the TRIO group to include programs to support Veterans, Adult Learners and STEM programs.
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; and academic assistance in high school or assistance to reenter high school or college.
Southern Utah University is proud to host three TRIO programs: Upward Bound, Talent Search and Student Support Services. These three programs have been exemplary over the decades in bringing educationally or economically disadvantaged students into higher education and lifelong learning.