Feb. 27, 2010

TRiO Day Open House

MITCHELL — National TRiO Day will be celebrated at Dakota Wesleyan University on Monday, March 1.

The DWU campus and community are invited to the TRiO Student Support Services offices in the McGovern Library from noon to 1 p.m. for light refreshments and to celebrate the national and local success of TRiO programs.

TRiO has a strong history, having been established in 1964, it stems from the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and the Higher Education Act. TRiO serves students who are first generation, low-income, and students with disabilities. Today, TRIO programs serve more than 850,000 students through 2,800 programs.

Dakota Wesleyan University is the only private higher education institute in South Dakota to host a TRiO program. Student Support Services has been on the DWU campus for 30 years and was originally funded to serve 60 students. This past fall, the DWU SSS TRiO program served 270 students by providing tutoring, a Writing Center, professional mentoring/academic advising and a variety of workshops presented by staff and TRiO peer tutors and mentors.

Nationally there are seven federal TRiO programs: Educational Opportunity Centers, McNair, Student Support Services, Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math/Science, and Veterans Upward Bound. South Dakota institutions host Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math/Science, SSS, and Talent Search.