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St. Lawrence University recently joined with the United States Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education Federal TRIO Programs to celebrate TRIO Day, in recognition of nearly 40 years of postsecondary education programming throughout the United States. There currently are seven programs under the umbrella of TRIO; the original three are Talent Search, Upward Bound and Student Support Services.

At St. Lawrence, participants in the newly funded Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program joined with participants in the campus Upward Bound program, which has been here since 1970, to emphasize the importance of postsecondary education. Senior McNair Scholars were matched up with ninth-through-11th- graders who are Upward Bound Student Advisory Board Members for a "shadow" day. The high school students sat in on a variety of University classes, including advanced mathematics and metaphilosophy, among others, and took part in other campus activities as well.

Both of the University's TRIO programs involve students from low-income backgrounds and/or students who represent the first generation in their families pursuing postsecondary education, providing the two groups with common ground.

In the photo below, TRIO Day celebrants gather for lunch in the University's new Student Center. From left, they are Crystal Newton (Norwood-Norfolk Central School), Cassandra Hart (Harrisville Central School), Brandon Shrewsberry (Gouverneur Central School), Erin McKeever (Massena Central School), Pat Umphries (Heuvelton Central School), Katie Bigness (Salmon River Central School), McNair Scholar Tara Smith '04, of Laurel, Delaware, and Upward Bound Counselor Amanda Pickering. (Photo by Nathan Sunday)

Posted: February 25, 2004