Students and alumni of Northwest Missouri State University TRIO programs will celebrate more than 30 years of success while expressing appreciation to the University and community during this year’s National TRIO Day.

Northwest will celebrate National TRIO Day Feb. 24-29 with events hosted by Student Support Services (SSS), Upward Bound, and Upward Bound Math and Science.

The week culminates with Northwest’s annual TRIO Day celebration Saturday, Feb. 29, in Room 2250 of the Garrett-Strong Science Building. Beginning at 8:30 a.m., Dr. Jay Johnson, Northwest’s associate provost of academic operations and development, will read a proclamation and Northwest TRIO will present its Hall of Fame Awards. The day’s activities continue with Northwest TRIO’s Saturday Academy pre-college sessions.

The week also includes the presentation of the SSS TRIO Hall of Fame Award at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, in Room 372 of the Administration Building, followed by a movie night at The Hanger; a visit to the iEmpathize exhibit Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Northwest-Kansas City; and a TRIO Night celebration during the Bearcat men’s and women’s basketball games Thursday, Feb. 27, at Bearcat Arena.

Enacted by a Congressional Resolution in 1986, TRIO Day is a national call to citizens from all walks of life to come together to promote educational access and success in communities where TRIO programs continue to create change.

TRIO is a federally recognized educational outreach program designed for students with disadvantaged backgrounds. It offers a comprehensive set of services through three different programs – Student Support Services, Upward Bound, and Upward Bound Math and Science – which are targeted at a specific group of individuals from ninth grade through adulthood.

Unlike student financial aid programs that help students overcome financial barriers to higher education, TRIO programs provide valuable, supportive services to students from poor and working families to successfully enter college and earn degrees.

Since 1986, Northwest TRIO programs have promoted educational opportunities while assisting students in their personal journey of earning a higher education degree. TRIO’s partnership with Northwest assists with addressing the unique needs of academically capable individuals who are first-generation students and who come from families with limited income.

Northwest TRIO programs create environments that inspire engaged learning, motivates continuing education and supports lifelong learning. Its services and activities include academic tutoring, cultural enrichment, financial assistance counseling, summer on-campus residential programs, admissions counseling, instructional assistance and student mentoring.

For more information about the TRIO programs at Northwest, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/trio/, or contact the TRIO office at 660.562.1862 or ssswebp@nwmissouri.edu.