Council for Opportunity in Education

The Council for Opportunity in Education Launches Inaugural Award for Institutional Effectiveness to Scale TRIO Student Support Services Practices Campus-Wide

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:02:33 +0000

The Council for Opportunity in Education Launches Inaugural Award for Institutional Effectiveness to Scale TRIO Student Support Services Practices Campus-Wide

July 15, 2025 — by Terrance L. Hamm

COE is inviting community colleges—with or without a current SSS program—to apply for the inaugural COE Award for Institutional Effectiveness, which will bestow $10,000 each on three campuses that have successfully embedded TRIO Student Support Services practices into their wider student success strategies.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Supported by a grant from ECMC Foundation, the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) today announced the COE Award for Institutional Effectiveness, a $10,000 prize recognizing three community colleges that have embedded TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) strategies across their campuses to advance student success. Eligible institutions, whether currently funded by SSS or with a history of SSS programming, are invited to apply by October 15, 2025.

“Community colleges serve as the vital gateway to postsecondary opportunity for more than 4.5 million students nationwide,” said COE President Kimberly Jones. “By honoring institutions that have made SSS practices a permanent, mission-aligned part of their work, we spotlight models that help low-income and first-generation students not only enroll but persist and graduate.”

A landmark 2019 U.S. Department of Education evaluation found that SSS participants were 47 percent more likely to complete a two-year degree or transfer and 18 percent more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree than their comparable peers. The new COE Award will amplify those proven gains by identifying practical, scalable approaches that benefit student populations.

Paula Kashtan, program officer at ECMC Foundation, remarked, “Our Foundation’s strategic commitment to community colleges reflects their essential role in driving economic mobility. COE’s award will accelerate the adoption of evidence-based SSS practices, ensuring that colleges nationwide thoughtfully invest in the success of first-generation and low-income students.”

The selection process unfolds in two stages. First, colleges complete a brief application demonstrating how SSS strategies, such as mentoring, academic coaching, and data-driven evaluation, have been institutionalized beyond the original TRIO program. Second, semifinalists coordinate an in-person campus visit between November 15, 2025, and January 15, 2026. Three finalists will be notified by March 2026, each receiving $10,000 in unrestricted funds to advance their student-centered work.

Nicole Norfles, Ed.D., COE Director of Program Practice and Innovation and liaison to the Community College Initiative Advisory Committee, added, “This award recognizes not just programs, but institutional commitment. We look forward to celebrating colleges that have woven SSS best practices into advising, resource alignment, and opportunity-focused planning.

“In alignment with COE’s mission to expand educational opportunity, this award honors community colleges that exemplify effective student-centric strategies,” said Aaron Brown, Executive Vice President of COE. “By celebrating institutions that have seamlessly embedded TRIO Student Support Services practices campus-wide, we aim to spotlight replicable models that not only lift individual students but strengthen entire communities and ensure that every campus is equipped to support first-generation and low-income learners on their path to success.”

Community colleges interested in applying can download the guidelines and application form at coenet.org here. If they have questions, email Nicole Norfles at nicole.norfles@coenet.org.

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries or to arrange an interview, please contact Terrance L. Hamm, associate vice-president for communications and marketing at COE via email at terrance.hamm@coenet.org or call (202) 347-7430.

More News & Impact

The post The Council for Opportunity in Education Launches Inaugural Award for Institutional Effectiveness to Scale TRIO Student Support Services Practices Campus-Wide appeared first on Council for Opportunity in Education.

The Council for Opportunity in Education Announces 2025 National TRIO Achiever Award Recipients

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:54:31 +0000

The Council for Opportunity in Education Announces 2025 National TRIO Achiever Award Recipients

July 10, 2025 — by Terrance L. Hamm

These five outstanding alumni of the Federal TRIO Programs will be celebrated at the Council’s Educational Opportunity Dinner on Tuesday, September 9, in Chicago.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) is proud to announce the 2025 National TRIO Achiever Award recipients, honoring five distinguished Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) alumni whose extraordinary lives exemplify the impact of educational opportunity.

This prestigious award recognizes alumni of the Federal TRIO Programs—namely, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Talent Search, Student Support Services, Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement, Educational Opportunity Centers, and Veterans Upward Bound—who have overcome adversity to achieve remarkable success and significantly contribute to their professions and communities. The honorees will be recognized during COE’s 2025 Educational Opportunity Dinner in Chicago on Tuesday, September 9.

“The 2025 National TRIO Achievers remind us why TRIO programs are not just necessary but transformational,” said COE President Kimberly Jones. “These exemplary leaders embody resilience, purpose, and commitment to giving back. They represent what’s possible when we give students from low-income and first-generation backgrounds a real opportunity to thrive.”

This year’s honorees include:

Beverly Black’s early experience with TRIO Talent Search at Southern University of New Orleans and Student Support Services at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette instilled in her the confidence and tools to pursue higher education. A program manager for B2B Technology Engagement at Delta Air Lines, she has since become a national advocate for TRIO, founding alumni groups, establishing scholarships, and leading major initiatives within corporate and nonprofit sectors that serve historically marginalized communities.

Frankie Cordero, who, through TRIO Student Support Services at the University of Connecticut, received vital academic and personal support that helped him persevere after a near-fatal accident in college. A puppeteer, director, and writer, he earned a BFA in Puppetry. He became a leading voice in children’s media, best known for his work on “Sesame Street,” bringing all-encompassing storytelling to public television and mentoring the next generation of artists.

Natalia Giraldo-Santiago, PhD, LCSW, overcame early academic and emotional challenges through the critical academic support and mentoring provided by the TRIO Upward Bound program at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. As a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, she has become a trailblazing researcher in health justice and mental health, securing NIH funding and mentoring the next generation of scholars in medicine and psychiatry.

Richard LaDouceur, PhD, who serves as associate professor and interim department head of mechanical engineering at Montana Technological University, credits the TRIO Upward Bound program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with preparing him for college and planting the seed of belief that he could succeed. After an initial setback in higher education, he returned to school, earned a Doctorate, and now leads impactful research while mentoring TRIO students and expanding STEM opportunities in his community.

Leticia Silva, who credits the TRIO Upward Bound program at St. Olaf College with preparing her to persevere as a first-generation college student and young mother. She graduated from the University of Minnesota and rose through the ranks of the Minnesota Twins organization, now serving as the senior vice president of human resources.

These honorees join a distinguished list of past National TRIO Achiever Award recipients, including Academy Award-winning actress and producer Viola Davis, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock, New York Times best-selling author Sarah Smarsh, and retired NASA astronaut José Hernández.

Please visit coenet.org for more information about the National TRIO Achiever Award or to purchase tickets to the 2025 Educational Opportunity Dinner.

Media Inquiries

More News & Impact

The post The Council for Opportunity in Education Announces 2025 National TRIO Achiever Award Recipients appeared first on Council for Opportunity in Education.

Pat Williams: A Champion Who Gave Wings to TRIO’s Defiance

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:51:49 +0000

Pat Williams: A Champion Who Gave Wings to TRIO’s Defiance

July 9, 2025 — by Arnold L. Mitchem

Pat Williams, a former Montana schoolteacher who became a voice in the House for nine terms, championing wilderness protections and defending the National Endowment for the Arts from attacks in the late 1980s and ’90s, died June 25 at a hospital in Missoula. He was 87.

When the Higher Education Act faced its deepest cuts in February 1986, it would have been easy for us to descend into mourning. Instead, with the vision of celebrating our students’ resilience, we assembled before the Lincoln Memorial on what became our very first National TRIO Day. I’m forever grateful that U.S. Representative Pat Williams (D-MT), then–Chairman of the Postsecondary Subcommittee on Higher Education, agreed to stand beside us that day.

We had learned that the House was moving to eliminate our Student Support Services program at the very moment we were gaining momentum nationwide. I suggested turning the narrative from loss to celebration—an act of public witness that said, “We’re here, and we’re not going anywhere.” Pat Williams didn’t hesitate. He embraced it when we asked him to join us in celebrating the first National TRIO Day in 1986 and that gave us a “splash” because we had a Member of Congress–we had a face, a presence.

On that drizzly Saturday, fewer than 150 of us gathered. Pat stood at the front of the Lincoln Memorial steps, umbrella in hand, as we readied ourselves against the gray sky. He made remarks following mine, and his very presence transformed our small assembly of advocates into a moment of history. The rain was incidental—it kind of added a little drama to it — but what really mattered was that a Member of Congress had chosen to champion first-generation, low-income students, and students with disabilities at a time when TRIO’s very existence was in question.

Pat understood that TRIO wasn’t just another line item in an appropriations bill—it was an integral strategy for equal educational opportunity. By stepping into the rain with us, he signaled to every campus, every community, and every student that TRIO mattered. His defiance wasn’t just symbolic; it was a political statement that TRIO had earned its place in the federal agenda and could not be swept away by budget cuts.

What can TRIO professionals today learn from Pat Williams’s example? Build authentic relationships with your Members of Congress—invite them into your world, let them hear your students’ stories, and co-opt their political identity around TRIO’s mission. As I once told advocates, “If you have to co-opt a Member… you have to make TRIO a part of their political identity so that they can never run away from TRIO.” Make them appreciate the talent that TRIO unlocks for American society.

Today, as we mourn Pat Williams’s passing, we also celebrate his unwavering commitment to educational opportunity. His decision to stand with us before the Lincoln Memorial gave wings to our collective resolve and set the tone for every TRIO triumph that followed. May his legacy remind us that, even in the face of fiscal storms, our programs—and most importantly, our students—deserve to be seen, heard, and honored.

— Dr. Arnold Mitchem, President Emeritus, Council for Opportunity in Education

More News & Impact

The post Pat Williams: A Champion Who Gave Wings to TRIO’s Defiance appeared first on Council for Opportunity in Education.

TRIO in the News, Summer 2025

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:41:19 +0000

TRIO in the News, Summer 2025

July 8, 2025 — by Terrance L. Hamm

The Trump administration’s fiscal 2026 “skinny” budget proposes eliminating all $1.2 billion in federal TRIO funding—citing concerns over performance measures and accountability—even as TRIO programs currently serve roughly 870,000 low-income, first-generation, and disabled students nationwide (about 17,500 in Colorado). Bipartisan opposition—from Senate TRIO Caucus co-chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and other lawmakers to Colorado education leaders and the Council for Opportunity in Education—underscores TRIO’s demonstrated track record of boosting college access and completion and makes it likely that Congress will reject the proposed cuts.

National: Eliminating programs that improve higher education access is a huge mistake

National: TRIO Advocates Fearful After Several Grants Discontinued

National: Legislature rejects ‘draconian’ cuts to UC and CSU, keeps TK-12 funding intact

National: Trump Wants to Cut More Than 40 Federal K-12 Programs. See Which Ones

National: McMahon Fields Questions from Senators on Cuts to Maximum Pell Grant, TRIO, and More Student Aid Programs in President Trump’s Budget Request

National: #AdvocateFirstGen Guest Opinion: TRIO is Working—Don’t Let it Disappear

National: TRIO cuts emerge as Education budget sticking point

National: These colleges look to overcome cuts to federal student support

National: Trump Proposes Cutting Pell Grants in Order to Avert Shortfall

National: Federal Cancellations of Upward Bound Grants Signal Broader Threat to College Access Programs

National: McMahon defends $12B proposed cut to the Education Department

Arizona: Federal funding pulled from Upward Bound program offered by PCC

Arizona: The Cost of Cutting TRIO – U of A Research

California: Eliminating programs that improve higher education access is a huge mistake

California: Low-income, first-generation students could lose vital college resource under Trump’s budget cuts

California: TRIO program faces budget cuts within the next year

California: Guest column: TRIO is not a relic, it’s a lifeline

California: Trump plan to cut programs that get poor kids into college makes no sense

California: Trump’s budget would reduce Pell Grant awards and work-study programs

Colorado: Colorado students, education leaders try to help TRIO college-access program avoid Trump cuts

Connecticut: TRIO transforms lives – but for how long?

Connecticut: 25 CT programs serving low-Income, first-gen students at risk

Georgia: SSU’s Upward Bound Program celebrates 2025 graduates during annual bridging ceremony

Guam: UOG TRIO sends 2 high school students to National Student Leadership Congress

Illinois: Lake Land College And TRIO Destination College Host STEM Camp For Mattoon Middle School Students

Illinois: Lake Land College TRIO Students Honored At Banquet

Indiana: Thousands of Indiana students benefit from a college-access program Trump wants to end

Iowa: TRIO on Trump’s chopping block

Kansas: TRiO Interns Advocate at National Policy Seminar in Washington, D.C.

Louisiana: Local students fear for the future as President Trump’s budget proposal threatens the Federal TRIO Program

Louisiana: Letters: UNO’s Upward Bound program doesn’t deserve to be cut

Maine: Sen. Collins says she helped secure Upward Bound funding for Maine

Massachusetts: Trump cuts would devastate community colleges, undermining lower-income students striving to better their lives

Massachusetts: Programs to support N.H.s neediest students in jeopardy because of Trump administrations proposed cuts

Michigan: Annual EMU STEM Day hosted by EMU’s TRIO Upward Bound program and the GameAbove College of Engineering and Technology

Minnesota: TRIO alum urge Congress to protect federal TRIO programs

Missouri: Federal cuts could gut Mizzou programs that support first-gen students

New Mexico: Student support workers in NM decry proposed federal cuts to TRIO Programs

North Carolina: TRIO funding cut proposal worries educators and students

North Carolina: TRIO Program faces cuts: What it could mean for students and families

Ohio: TRIO Talent Search guides students toward college, careers and the military

Oregon: Trump administration plans to abolish TRIO college access programs; Collins wants to save them

South Carolina: The Future of TRIO Programs

South Carolina: Public University invites alumni of TRIO programs to tell success stories given the uncertain future of the proposed budget

Tennessee: ETSU speaks on potential Pell Grant reductions, TRiO closure

Texas: Del Mar College promotes option to continue education with TRIO Educational Opportunity Center

Virginia: TRIO Programs open doors to college for first-generation students

Washington: Federal delays and Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ jeopardize college program for students from migrant families

Washington: Proposed TRIO cuts to impact around 1,300 BBCC students

Washington: Trio and Trio STEM programs face potential termination amid federal budget cuts

West Virginia: West Virginia’s TRIO Program Which Supports First Gen College Students Faces Funding Cuts

West Virginia: WV’s TRIO program, which supports first-gen college students, faces funding cuts

Wisconsin: Upward Bound boosts college readiness for Madison’s first-generation students

More News & Impact

Media Inquiries

Why Trump’s Budget Proposal Betrays a Generation of Low-Income College Students

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 18:13:42 +0000

Why Trump’s Budget Proposal Betrays a Generation of Low-Income College Students

June 11, 2025 — by Alejandra Campoverdi and Aaron Brown, Ph.D.

Despite decades of proven success in expanding college access and economic mobility for low-income and first-generation students, the federal TRIO programs now face elimination in the President’s budget—prompting over 10,000 alumni to urge Congress to protect this vital engine of opportunity.

America loves to celebrate its “firsts”— first generation college students, first generation professionals, the first person in a family to break a cycle of poverty. These milestones, while personal and familial, are also reflective of our well-being as a nation. Social and economic mobility remain a reliable measure of a country’s prosperity and promise of opportunity for all. Yet, in the President’s budget proposal sent to Congress earlier this month, one of our nation’s most demonstrated mechanisms for upward mobility is at risk of being dismantled.

Last week, Congress received a letter signed by over 10,000 alumni of the Federal TRIO programs—educators, scientists, nurses, business leaders—urging lawmakers to protect the programs that made their academic and professional dreams a reality. These individuals are living proof that investing in potential unlocks real, measurable returns for our country.

Since 1964, the TRIO programs have helped more than six million low-income, first-generation, and disabled students earn college degrees. Today, nearly one million students benefit from TRIO services each year. A U.S. Department of Education study found that TRIO Student Support Services participants are 47% more likely to earn a two-year degree and 18% more likely to complete a four-year degree than their comparable peers. TRIO Upward Bound students from the lowest income quartile are twice as likely to earn a bachelor’s degree by age 24.

Federal initiatives such as TRIO increase college access, boost graduation rates, and improve economic outcomes. According to the Pell Institute, students from the highest income quartile are still nearly five times more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree by age 24 than students from the lowest quartile.

Targeting TRIO for complete elimination in its most recent budget proposal to Congress, the Trump Administration wrongly claimed that “access to college is no longer the barrier it once was for low-income students.” Yet admissions processes remain complex, college costs continue to rise, and rural and under-resourced schools often lack the counselors and mentors students need to navigate the path to and through college.

TRIO isn’t a partisan program—it’s an American one—and its value has long been recognized through bipartisan support. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) praises TRIO’s role in building a strong workforce and healthy economy. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) champions TRIO’s impact on rural communities. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) supports TRIO for helping students prepare for careers through education-to-employment pathways. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), both TRIO alumni, credit the program with helping them rise from poverty to public service.

TRIO participants also reflect the full diversity of America: 34% White, 32% Black, 23% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 3% Native American, and 3% identifying as other. These programs operate in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Islands, serving veterans, adult learners, and students with disabilities alongside traditional undergraduates.

We ourselves come to this work from different perspectives, yet united in our firsthand understanding of the continuing need for the TRIO programs. One of us is a Latina Pell Grant recipient who has spent the past two years visiting more than 80 colleges and universities across the country, speaking directly with first-generation and low-income students. The other helps lead the nation’s largest TRIO advocacy organization and began his journey as a TRIO student in a rural Washington town.

If TRIO is eliminated, we lose a national infrastructure of academic support and college access that has been quietly yet consistently transforming lives for nearly six decades. The impact would be immediate and devasting to a generation of promising young people. We cannot celebrate our trailblazers while tearing up the roads they’ve forged. Congress must act to protect TRIO and reaffirm America’s promise: that where you begin in life should not determine where you end up.

Alejandra Campoverdi is the bestselling author of First Gen and the founder of the First Gen Fund, a nonprofit that provides hardship grants to first-generation college students. She served as White House Deputy Director of Hispanic Media in the Obama Administration.

Dr. Aaron Brown is the executive vice president of the Council for Opportunity in Education and a TRIO Student Support Services alumnus. He has 20 years of higher education experience serving in a variety of roles, including assistant vice provost, associate dean for student development and achievement, first-year experience instructor, and elected member of the faculty senate.

More News & Impact

The post Why Trump’s Budget Proposal Betrays a Generation of Low-Income College Students appeared first on Council for Opportunity in Education.

More Than 10,000 TRIO Alumni Urge Congress to Protect Federal TRIO Programs

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 16:30:30 +0000

More Than 10,000 TRIO Alumni Urge Congress to Protect Federal TRIO Programs

June 3, 2025 — by Terrance L. Hamm

Supporters of TRIO assembled on Capitol Hill in March during COE’s annual Legislative Conference. The Trump Administration’s claim that access is no longer an obstacle for low-income students is flatly contradicted by data and by the lived experience of more than 6 million TRIO alumni.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) proudly recognizes and applauds the more than 10,000 alumni of the Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) who have come together in an unprecedented show of unity to oppose the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate TRIO in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

“As a first-generation college student from a low-income family in Eastern Kentucky Appalachia, I needed TRIO to prepare me for higher education,” said TRIO Upward Bound and Student Support Services alumnus Charles Hargis. Hargis credits TRIO with helping him graduate debt-free, earn a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, and now works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.

He was just one of the 10,234 TRIO alumni who called on Congress to reject the proposed elimination of TRIO.

In the powerful letter sent to congressional appropriations leadership, TRIO alumni from every state and several U.S. territories called on Congress to reject the proposed cuts and reaffirm its commitment to college access and success for low-income, first-generation students. The signatories ranged from recent high school graduates pursuing higher education to those who have completed their degrees and now serve their communities as nurses, doctors, teachers, scientists, and in numerous other industries.

“On behalf of the nearly 870,000 current TRIO participants and more than 6 million TRIO alumni, we thank these signatories for using their voice to defend the programs that changed their lives,” said Kimberly Jones, president of COE. “This is a clear message to Congress: TRIO works and must be protected.”

The letter emphasizes TRIO’s six-decade track record of success and its measurable impact:

Upward Bound students are more than twice as likely to earn a bachelor’s degree by age 24 than students in the lowest income quartile.
Student Support Services participants are 47% more likely to complete a two-year degree or transfer, and 18% more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree than similar nonparticipants.
Talent Search students are 33% more likely to enroll in college than those from the bottom income quartile.
Veterans Upward Bound participants are 42% more likely than their peers to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years.
EOC programs report that 60.6% of “college-ready” participants enrolled in higher education, and 71% applied.
McNair Scholars are 78% more likely to enroll in graduate school than similarly situated low-income college graduates.

The letter was addressed to the leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, urging them to fund TRIO programs at the highest possible level in FY26 appropriations.

In addition to its proven effectiveness, TRIO is essential in rural communities and under-resourced schools that often lack the infrastructure to support students from historically marginalized backgrounds. TRIO bridges that gap—providing personalized advising, mentorship, academic support, and a clear pathway to college completion.

“TRIO is not just a program—it is a movement of resilience, potential, and hope,” said Jones. “We will continue to work with alumni, educators, students, and advocates to ensure Congress hears this message loud and clear.”

Earlier today, Education Secretary Linda McMahon testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) on the Department of Education’s FY26 budget request. During her remarks, the Secretary justified the Administration’s proposed elimination of TRIO by arguing that the agency lacked the “ability to go in and look at the accountability of TRIO programs.” McMahon argued, “I just think that we aren’t able to see the effectiveness across the board that we would normally look to see with our federal spending.”

In response, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Co-Chair of the Congressional TRIO Caucus, asserted, “I think the answer is to reform and strengthen those programs. Fix what’s wrong, increase accountability, not abolish them, and I look forward to working with you in that regard.”

During both the 117^th and 118^th Sessions of Congress, Senator Collins, along with LHHS Subcommittee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and LHHS Subcommittee Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), co-sponsored the Educational Opportunity and Success Act. This bill would bring even greater efficiency and clarity to the accountability measures already embedded in the legislation governing the Federal TRIO Programs.

As part of this national effort to defend and uplift the TRIO mission, COE encourages all supporters to participate in the national TRIO Works Day of Service on Saturday, June 21. Across the country, TRIO students, alumni, staff, and community partners will give back through local service projects, public events, and storytelling activities that showcase the power and impact of TRIO.

Media Inquiries

More News & Impact

The post More Than 10,000 TRIO Alumni Urge Congress to Protect Federal TRIO Programs appeared first on Council for Opportunity in Education.

Federal Cancellations of Upward Bound Grants Signal Broader Threat to College Access Programs

Fri, 30 May 2025 20:25:33 +0000

Federal Cancellations of Upward Bound Grants Signal Broader Threat to College Access Programs

May 30, 2025 — by Kimberly Jones

Earlier today, Upward Bound programs across the country began receiving their long-anticipated continuation award notifications from the U.S. Department of Education. But alongside welcome news of funding extensions, at least three programs with June 1 start dates were met with a deeply troubling surprise: official letters of cancellation.

Earlier today, continuation award notifications for Upward Bound projects with June 1 start dates began to go out. However, we have also received troubling news: at least three projects with June 1 start dates have been given cancellation letters from the Department of Education. The justification for these cancellations is that, in the view of the current administration, these grants “violate the letter or purpose of Federal civil rights law; conflict with the Department’s policy of prioritizing merit, fairness, and excellence in education; undermine the well-being of the students these programs are intended to help; or constitute an inappropriate use of federal funds.”

We expect similar cancellations to be issued not only for additional Upward Bound grants but across all TRIO grant programs. We also anticipate that this reasoning may impact the results of the Student Support Services grant competition.

This alarming development underscores the need for immediate and coordinated action. Therefore, COE leadership invites you to join us on Wednesday, June 4, at 5:00 p.m. ET for a Government Relations Community Update for the entire TRIO community. During this critical update on Wednesday, we will share the latest information from the field, discuss the implications for all TRIO programs, and outline the steps COE is taking towards the continuity of services for students.

Your participation is important. Now more than ever, a unified TRIO voice is essential.

Get in Touch

Questions? Contact COE Vice President for Public Policy Diane Shust.

Diane Shust

Vice President, Public Policy diane.shust@coenet.org

Owen Toomey

Director, Congressional Affairs owen.toomey@coenet.orgsoci

Informed advocacy shapes policies

Council for Opportunity in Education Condemns President Trump’s Proposal to Eliminate Federal TRIO Programs

Fri, 02 May 2025 20:53:49 +0000

Council for Opportunity in Education Condemns President Trump’s Proposal to Eliminate Federal TRIO Programs

May 2, 2025 — by Terrance L. Hamm

President Trump’s newly released 2026 budget proposes the complete elimination of the Federal TRIO Programs, which have helped millions of low-income, first-generation students – including veterans, adult learners, and students with disabilities – succeed in higher education for over 60 years.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) condemns President Trump’s 2026 budget proposal, which calls for the complete elimination of the Federal TRIO Programs—a longstanding, bipartisan initiative proven to expand access to higher education for low-income and first-generation students.

“This proposal is a direct attack on students who dare to dream of college in the face of adversity,” said Kimberly Jones, President of the Council for Opportunity in Education. “For decades, TRIO has proven to be a critical engine of economic mobility, and any attempt to dismantle these programs is shortsighted.”

The Trump Administration’s budget proposal claims that “access to college is not the obstacle it was for students of limited means.” However, data from the U.S. Census Bureau demonstrate that students from the poorest families earn college degrees at rates far below students from the highest income families. As recently as 2023, students from the highest income quartile earned college degrees at a rate more than four times that of students from the lowest income quartile (62% vs. 15%).

President Trump’s budget slashes over $163 billion from non-defense federal programs, decimating support for those most in need. All of the TRIO programs would be among the casualties: Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC), Student Support Services (SSS), Veterans Upward Bound, and the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program.

Collectively, TRIO serves nearly 870,000 students and adult learners through nearly 3,500 individual programs in each U.S. State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Islands annually. TRIO programs are staples in communities of every kind – and have a particular impact in rural areas where fewer resources are available to serve students in need. Since 1964, TRIO has produced over six million college graduates and counts among its alumni astronauts, college presidents, business leaders, and elected officials.

“TRIO is the insurance policy for the Pell Grant,” said Maureen Hoyler, COE Senior Advisor and past president. “It’s not enough to provide financial aid—students also need academic guidance, mentoring, and personalized advising to stay on track. TRIO Student Support Services, in particular, raises completion rates for Pell Grant recipients and ensures our federal investment results in degrees, not dropouts.”

Further, the Administration’s proposal ignores the harsh reality that many institutions of higher education – particularly community colleges, regional colleges, and smaller private institutions – do not have the infrastructure or funding to take on TRIO’s responsibilities alone. These colleges cannot manage robust K–12 outreach, recruit disconnected youth and adult learners, or offer sustained, wraparound support through graduation. TRIO professionals do this every day in partnership with schools and communities—and they do it with deep expertise and proven results.

The data on TRIO’s effectiveness is unambiguous:

Upward Bound students are more than twice as likely to earn a bachelor’s degree by age 24 than students in the lowest income quartile.
Student Support Services participants are 47% more likely to complete a two-year degree or transfer, and 18% more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree than similar nonparticipants.
Talent Search students are 33% more likely to enroll in college than other students from the bottom income quartile.
Veterans Upward Bound participants are 42% more likely than their peers to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years.
EOC programs report that 60.6% of “college-ready” participants enrolled in higher education, and 71% applied.
McNair Scholars are 78% more likely to enroll in graduate school compared to similarly situated low-income college graduates.

Dr. Arnold Mitchem, COE’s President Emeritus and the architect of the national TRIO movement, stated: “I’ve spent more than five decades defending these programs. Eliminating TRIO is not about efficiency—it’s about abandonment. We are abandoning students who could be our next teachers, engineers, public servants, and leaders.”

“TRIO works,” said Diane Shust, COE’s Vice President of Public Policy. “It supports students from all racial backgrounds who face barriers not because of ability, but because of income, opportunity, or circumstance. Eliminating TRIO isn’t just a budget decision; it’s a choice to shut the door on millions of Americans who are ready and able to succeed.”

COE urges Congress to reject this proposal and preserve the federal commitment to educational opportunity and economic mobility. The stakes—for our students, our communities, and our country—could not be higher.

Media Inquiries

More News & Impact

The post Council for Opportunity in Education Condemns President Trump’s Proposal to Eliminate Federal TRIO Programs appeared first on Council for Opportunity in Education.

Trump Administration Reverses Federal Grant Funding Freeze Amid Legal Challenges

Thu, 30 Jan 2025 20:36:00 +0000

Trump Administration Reverses Federal Grant Funding Freeze Amid Legal Challenges

January 30, 2025 — by Kimberly Jones

The White House located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C.

The Trump administration backtracked on its directive freezing all federal grant funding until further review, rescinding the order on Wednesday after widespread backlash and confusion. The directive, which came out of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), was halted from going into effect on Tuesday by a federal District Court judge in Washington, D.C. With the rescission of the order, it is unclear if OMB will pursue other avenues to freeze funding.

It is critical our community continues to engage with our elected officials to build and maintain relationships so we can count on congressional support against the rapidly evolving landscape of threats.

As always, thank you for your ardent support of TRIO programs and students.

Get in Touch

Questions? Contact COE Vice President for Public Policy Diane Shust.

Diane Shust

Vice President, Public Policy diane.shust@coenet.org

Owen Toomey

Director, Congressional Affairs owen.toomey@coenet.org

Informed advocacy shapes policies

Immediate Action Steps in Response to Federal Funding Freeze

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 19:13:52 +0000

Immediate Action Steps in Response to Federal Funding Freeze

January 28, 2025 — by Kimberly Jones

Contact your Representatives and Senators: Let them know how this decision is affecting your TRIO students and families. Use this tool to send a message.

As COE shared last night, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has ordered a pause to the disbursement and obligation of federal funds, to go into effect at TODAY at 5:00 p.m. ET. This means that the G6 system for drawdowns will not be available after 5:00 p.m. ET tonight.

Given the immediacy of this action, COE advises TRIO grantees to take the actions below.

First, if a lack of funds would cause your institution to limit TRIO services, investigate with your business office the possibility of drawing down funds this afternoon in order to prevent this lag. As agencies are directed to provide a report to OMB by Monday, February 10 indicating whether federal grant programs are in compliance with recently issued Executive Orders, grantees may wish to draw down funds to allow for operations at least through that date.

Second, and just as important, TRIO grantees MUST contact their House Representative and both U.S. Senators to let them know how this action is affecting your students and families. (For ease in contacting your legislators, use this tool on the COE website. Be sure to “Edit Message” before sending so you can directly address the concern at hand. A sample message is available here.)

Finally, we invite you to join COE’s Board of Directors for a special Government Relations Committee Meeting on Friday, January 31 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Please click here to register for this meeting.

As always, thank you for your ardent support of TRIO programs and students.

Get in Touch

Questions? Contact COE Vice President for Public Policy Diane Shust.

Diane Shust

Vice President, Public Policy diane.shust@coenet.org

Owen Toomey

Director, Congressional Affairs owen.toomey@coenet.org

Council for Opportunity in Education

The Council for Opportunity in Education Launches Inaugural Award for Institutional Effectiveness to Scale TRIO Student Support Services Practices Campus-Wide

The Council for Opportunity in Education Launches Inaugural Award for Institutional Effectiveness to Scale TRIO Student Support Services Practices Campus-Wide

Media Inquiries

Popular Links

More News & Impact

The Council for Opportunity in Education Announces 2025 National TRIO Achiever Award Recipients

The Council for Opportunity in Education Announces 2025 National TRIO Achiever Award Recipients

Media Inquiries

Popular Links

More News & Impact