Purdue University North Central Student Support Services recognized National TRiO Day on Feb. 24, joining TRiO chapters across the country in marking the importance of the TRiO programs.
Purdue North Central hosts two TRiO programs, Student Support Services and Educational Talent Search. These two programs have been serving area low-income students for more than 20 years.
Visit the PNC Website
1401 S US 421
Westville, IN 46391
Phone: 219-785-5200
The programs have their roots in President Lyndon Johnson's war on poverty. Johnson believed that in order to raise individuals out of generational poverty, they needed resources - both money and advice. It was from this need, TRiO programs were born in early 1964.
TRiO is the umbrella program for 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. The McNair program was named in honor of the astronaut who died in the 1986 space shuttle explosion 25 years ago.
The Talent Search program at PNC reaches out to 700 middle and high school students in LaPorte, Porter and Starke counties.
"For more than 22 years at Purdue North Central, TRiO Talent Search has been a strong supporter of postsecondary education," said Debbie Birch, Success Through Education director.
She explained that by continuing to focus on the attainability and importance of a college degree, in 2010 Talent Search enrolled 98 of its 110 high school seniors in a postsecondary program.
The Student Support Services program at PNC serves 195 undergraduate students and has a focus of persistence, retention and graduation. Three PNC students and a Student Support Services staff member recently attended the TRiO Student Leadership Conference in Indianapolis.
"Student Support Services TRiO program at PNC has been helping students with one-on-one tutoring, career counseling, graduate school information and social and cultural activities for the past 26 years," said Kila Payne, TRiO program coordinator at PNC.
To be eligible for services in either program, students must meet one of the following criteria: meet federal income guidelines, be a first generational college student with neither the student nor their parents having a bachelor's degree or Student Support Services students may have a documented physical, mental, or learning disability.
Information about TRIO can be obtained by contacting the Student Support Services office at 219.785.5200, ext. 5312.