On Saturday, February 22, Loyola Marymount University (LMU) School of Education hosted some 270 local high schoolers for a celebration of National TRIO Day to raise awareness of the importance of educational opportunity for low-income, first-generation students. It was the first time LMU hosted this event and the largest gathering of TRIO program participants on LMU’s campus to date—highlighting the university’s commitment to supporting college access and success for students from all walks of life.
LMU’s Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science programs are part of the federal TRIO programs, which support students in applying to and succeeding in college. They offer academic tutoring, college counseling, financial literacy workshops, and other resources to empower disadvantaged students to pursue a college education and achieve their goals. “The resources that TRIO provides are not just valuable—they’re instrumental in shaping many young minds and their paths to higher education,” said LMU President-Elect, Executive Vice President, and Provost Thomas Poon in his welcome remarks that morning.
The federal TRIO programs have been supporting students for more than six decades; LMU SOE has hosted Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Programs since 2007 and 2017, respectively. LMU invited 10 other programs from the area to take part in its celebration, including Volunteers of America TRIO Programs, Los Angeles Southwest College TRIO, and West LA College TRIO, said Sha-Dé Chapman, director of LMU’s Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Programs.
A variety of activities were scheduled throughout the day. Students attended a panel discussion with TRIO alumni who offered insights into their educational journeys; browsed a college and resource fair to learn more about admission and financial aid; and took part in a variety of hands-on learning projects and STEAM activities that encouraged exploration in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
In addressing the crowd that morning, Estela Zarate, dean of LMU School of Education, emphasized the transformative power of the day’s program. “There is a bigger purpose for today’s event: It is to help you imagine and envision your future,” she said. “It is an opportunity to step away from the daily routine of ‘now’ and place yourself on a college campus, where you will offer your talents to the world for a greater good.”
Director Chapman thanked the Drollinger Family Foundation and the WESTOP – Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel (WESTOP) for their support of the event, as well as the various LMU affinity groups who took part in the event, including LMU Student Workers, LMU Black Student Union, LMU School of Education, and the Center for Urban Resilience (CURes). “The opportunity to connect in real life with our professors and students was instrumental in helping high schoolers feel that they can get into and thrive in college,” she said.
