Index of University Press Releases

April 26, 2007

Kernes named president-elect of SD ASPIRE

MITCHELL – Yolie Kernes, director of student support services at DWU, was elected president of the South Dakota Association for Special Programs in Region Eight (ASPIRE), one of ten regional associations under the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE). All schools with TRiO programs are members.

At the ASPIRE Conference in Denver in early October 2007, Kernes begins her term as president-elect. In October 2008, she will be the South Dakota ASPIRE President.

ASPIRE is one of ten regional associations and includes six states: South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Utah. Its mission is to “increase the educational and success opportunities for low-income and first-generation college students through professional development and legislative advocacy.”

COE represents more than 1,000 colleges, universities, community colleges and agencies that offer federally-funded TRiO programs to expand college opportunity for low-income, first-generation and disabled students.

TRiO is a pipeline of federal programs that encourage students of all ages to aspire to, attend and complete college. TRiO serves pre-college students, college students, veterans and returning adult students, supplying the mentoring, academic support and college admissions and financial aid information needed to obtain a college education.

For more information about ASPIRE, visit www.aspire-online.org. For more information about DWU’s Student Success Center, visit www.dwu.edu/studentservices/index.htm.