The story of Knox College’s TRIO Achievement Program is one of endurance, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to supporting students from marginalized backgrounds. From its inception as the Educational Development Program (EDP) to its eventual rebranding as TRIO, the program has helped guide generations of students toward a successful Knox education.

Over the past 50 years, Knox TRIO has served approximately 2,200 students, supported by more than $10 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education since 1974. The program has been a cornerstone of academic success for first-generation and low-income students, achieving an average annual collegiate persistence rate of 91.7 percent and a 94.7 percent rate of students ending the year in good academic standing since 2007. 

This milestone anniversary highlights not only the program’s resilience but also the profound difference it has made in the lives of countless Knox students over the past half-century.

“I can think of no program that better represented the values of Knox,” Knox College President C. Andrew McGadney said. “It has made a tremendous difference for generations of alumni. It's because of our local leaders and government officials that help continue such a valuable program to meet Knox’s mission.”

Risa Lopez, executive director of TRIO & McNair Programs, has led TRIO for 18 years, one of only three directors in the program’s history, underscoring the program’s stability and the trust placed in its leadership. Her focus has been on creating a nurturing environment where students can find a "center in others who belong in the same world," making the TRIO space feel like a community rather than merely an assistance program. "To have maintained this program amid changing enrollment numbers and institutional demands is significant," she added.

The TRIO Achievement Program serves first-generation, low-income students, as well as students with disabilities. It has become essential to the college experience for students who face challenges beyond traditional academics, providing support for everything from financial literacy and FAFSA guidance to career readiness and emotional resilience. Lopez stressed that TRIO is not about doing the work for students, rather, describing the process as a “trampoline, not a safety net.” Students are encouraged to take ownership of their success.

Helping Students, 50 Years Strong

For many, the TRIO journey begins even before classes start. The TRIO Bridge Program, a summer onboarding session, offers participants an introduction to college life and familiarizes them with available resources. For students like Alexa Custer ’25, a Gale Scholar whose journey with TRIO began in Galesburg High School, this initial experience set a foundation that made her transition to Knox smoother. As a commuter, Custer found a sense of community within TRIO. She has now been a TRIO peer mentor for three years, fostering connections with new students and their families, and guiding them through the same adjustments she once navigated.

“Laura [Bush] has always been like my backbone,” Custer added, referring to her TRIO advisor. “I come out of those meetings refreshed and motivated about whatever’s happening.”

Custer is currently considering graduate school for philosophy. To aid her in this effort, she is utilizing the aid of the McNair Scholars Program, a sister program of TRIO. It is designed to prepare underrepresented undergraduate students for the challenges of doctoral studies through research experiences, academic planning, and other scholarly activities. 

Custer sees herself possibly working within a TRIO program in the future, giving back to the community that shaped her college experience.

The program also supports students navigating the challenges of balancing athletics and academics. Aleene Ramirez ’25, a journalism major from San Antonio, Texas, came to Knox during a tumultuous time, as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her senior year of high school.

Adjusting to college life was challenging, and it wasn’t until she connected with TRIO Associate Director Brandi Grimes that she found the guidance she needed. "It helped me feel seen. I didn’t feel like just another college student," she recalled.

TRIO’s guidance has been essential as she balances her academic responsibilities with her commitment to the Prairie Fire women’s soccer team. One of the key changes Ramirez has included in her daily life is a planner book that she carries everywhere she goes. “Brandi [Grimes] understood how chaotic the daily life of an athlete is. Using this planner helped me factor in small time sinks throughout my day and has changed my academic life,” she added. The structure and personalized support from TRIO have allowed her to succeed in both spheres, demonstrating the program's flexibility in meeting students' varied needs.

For alumni like Patrick Ford ’17, who now teaches in Chicago, TRIO was a lifeline that helped him adjust to college life and its accompanying cultural challenges. As a first-generation college student, Ford initially resisted the idea of joining TRIO, believing he needed to approach the challenges of college alone. However, he says Lopez’s persistence paid off, helping him ultimately find a supportive community that helped him overcome both academic and personal challenges. “Without TRIO, I wouldn’t have been successful,” Ford reflects. “I was ready to drop out, it was a culture shock.”

Over time, the program’s advisors, such as Lopez and Director of the Center for Teaching & Learning John Haslem, taught Ford how to navigate life at Knox and beyond, instilling values of resilience and adaptability that he now applies as an educator.

Reflecting on the Past

Though it has changed names, the TRIO program has always provided a core mission of access. For Associate Dean of the College and Philip Sidney Post Professor of Chemistry Mary Crawford ’89, this mission hits close to home.

As a former student utilizing the services of what was then referred to as the Educational Development Program (EDP), to now assisting the program in her role as associate dean, Crawford says the program is an incredibly important resource for Knox. She says TRIO has provided a pathway for underprivileged students to better connect with faculty and staff, helping immerse them in a Knox education.

“You have to look at the whole student, and not just in the classroom. It’s about understanding their entire life and how they’ve reached this point,” she added.

Crawford says it’s important for the College to maintain its TRIO program not only for current students but also to show alumni that Knox is maintaining access to education. Whether it be for a first-generation college student finding their way in uncharted waters or a student from a low-income family, Crawford says TRIO provides a message to all that they belong. “TRIO gives students a compass for higher education,” Crawford said.

For Chris Chaney ’80, the EDP helped him feel connected to Knox at a time when few other students looked like him. As a minority student on campus during the late 1970s, Chaney says it was hard to find a support system of people who truly understood his struggles. Chaney says the biggest obstacle he faced entering Knox was writing. He utilized the EDP to help improve his writing skills and also as an emotional support system. At times, he says the advisors and students within the EDP were his emotional getaway. “Being a minority student, having a support system, emotionally and academically, was a big deal,” he added.

Jameta Rodgers ’97 recently returned to campus during 2024 Homecoming to speak during a TRIO 50th anniversary celebration. She detailed her experience as a math secondary education major, as well as feeling under-
represented in most classes she took at Knox.

She admitted that coming from a primarily African American high school, she had trouble trusting faculty and advisors having her best interest at heart. “I had to learn to accept their help,” she said.

For Rodgers, advisors within EDP allowed her to be successful, helping guide her to use her talents within leadership opportunities around campus and become a “fuller person.” Today, Rodgers serves as associate dean of student development at Richard J. Daley College. Many of the individual points of growth she adopted through EDP have translated into her current career.

“This program helped me to see and own my voice. Not just to go into an established career, but to pursue myself,” Rodgers said. 

TRIO Today

As years have passed, the challenges of the modern student have changed in ways both expected and unexpected.

COVID-19’s impact on higher education has introduced new challenges, especially for low-income and first-generation students. Post-COVID, TRIO students report increased levels of anxiety, with financial stresses and technology gaps making college transitions even more daunting. TRIO has adapted to meet these new demands, incorporating additional mental health resources and creating a “help-seeking culture” that encourages students to embrace academic and emotional support.

Knox TRIO Academic Coordinator Laura Bush pointed to a struggle with deep learning among students. She says that, for many, the transition from Zoom calls to collegiate classrooms has presented new challenges; however, she shared a sense of optimism through the way students have adopted TRIO services into their lives.

For Bush, the use of peer mentors in oneon-one settings and group study sessions has enabled students to come to terms with their struggles in an accepting environment. In her 14 years at Knox, she says the student’s willingness to utilize TRIO and the Center for Teaching & Learning assistance is consistently improving.

“I feel like we have a strong and proactive program. The student mentors are so vital to our success,” Bush added.

Financial literacy has also become a crucial element of TRIO’s mission. Many students enter Knox with financial burdens that can feel insurmountable, yet TRIO demystifies the process, guiding them through FAFSA, budgeting, and the nuances of maintaining financial aid eligibility. "We want them to fully understand what financial aid actually means," says Lopez.

Students often arrive with a fear of confronting their finances, but TRIO advisors work to replace that fear with knowledge, empowering them to manage their own educational expenses.

The program has expanded its focus to include career readiness, recognizing that TRIO students often underutilize career resources compared to their non-TRIO peers. Through workshops and one-on-one guidance, students are encouraged to leverage campus resources like the Bastian Family Center for Career Success. TRIO’s goal is not only to help students succeed at Knox but to prepare them for life after college, ensuring they have the skills needed to thrive in professional environments.

The overall percentage of TRIO-eligible students on campus has remained fairly constant over the years but peaked around 2014-15 when more than 60 percent of U.S. students on campus met at least one eligibility criterion. Evaluating data from last year’s TRIO students, Lopez shared that participants earned higher grades in FP, higher grades their first term, higher grades their first year, earned more credits in their first year, and were more likely to persist in school from one year to the next when compared to non-participants. 

Looking forward, TRIO continues to be driven by its commitment to community and an evolving understanding of what student success looks like. As TRIO’s funding is closely tied to the federal budget process, the program submitted its most recent grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Education in July 2024 to request continued funding for the 2025-2030 academic years. This funding is critical for ensuring students continue to have access to resources that help them thrive.

For 50 years, TRIO has been a pillar of support, serving as both a launchpad and a safety net for students whose college journeys might otherwise be fraught with obstacles. From the modest beginnings of the Educational Development Program to the robust support system it offers today, TRIO has played an integral role in Knox’s mission to provide an inclusive, accessible education. TRIO alumni are part of a national network of nearly 6 million TRIO graduates, showcasing the program’s significant reach and transformative impact on individuals across the country.

As Knox celebrates this major anniversary, it’s clear that TRIO’s commitment to fostering student success will remain at its core, a promise to future generations of Knox students that they will always have a place to belong and a team to help them thrive.