Every year, about 100 Winona State University students graduate through the TRIO program on campus. TRIO works closely with first generation students, those who are income eligible and those with disabilities to provide a supportive community and promote success. Every year, 90% of TRIO’s students maintain a good academic standing of a 2.25 GPA or higher, 80% return to campus the next year and 70% graduate in six years.
These goals are attained through supplying financial aid, counseling, advising services and tutoring to students who are a part of the program, as well as requiring in-person meetings three times a semester. As students approach their senior year, TRIO provides help with resume building and preparing for interviews, ensuring student success all the way through their journeys. Their support also goes towards needs beyond academics. TRIO works closely not only with students but with parents, building personal connections and working hard to create a safe space for students and families along this journey.
“We want to create a community support for them for a welcome that when they come here, they feel like they can stay here,” Nhia Yang, Director of TRIO, said.
The TRIO space holds a student lounge with a leisure space, microwave, coffee and tea to create a homey environment. Before school starts, TRIO puts on a summer program that allows students to live on campus and interact with faculty members and build a community and social group before the stress of classes.
Dyllan Merchlewitz, a third-year student at Winona State, has been a part of TRIO since his first semester and now works in the TRIO office greeting students and assisting with any behind-the-scenes work. He is grateful for his experience with the program.
“It is nice having someone I can talk to and go to talk about classes and other resources that I might need on campus,” Merchlewitz said and he is glad that he now gets to work for them, giving back to the community and working to earn money in between classes.
As well as supporting him financially and academically, the program has provided him with amazing experiences such as a fully paid trip to Florida and getting a tour of the NASA Space Station. Through TRIO he has made many friends and great memories and is extremely thankful, “they have so many resources and they have done so much for me,” Merchlewitz said.
TRIO serves around 300 students a year and it is an excellent program that helps students feel more confident on campus both socially and academically. Across the United States, 122 TRIO programs were canceled due to the Trump Administration’s shut down of DEI but fortunately Winona State has received a grant to provide funding for this program to persist and continue serving students for the next five years. Those who work with TRIO encourage all eligible students to connect with the program.
“Oftentimes, based on my research on all the research, students, when they are on campus, feel as if they’re not connecting to a support system here, so they don’t enjoy their time as much or they wait until they already have academic issues or other issues before they reach out,” Yang said, expressing hope that more students feel welcome to take the steps to enroll in the program and advocate for their needs. TRIO’s goal is to make all students feel supported and that they can succeed academically and economically.
