TRiO program honoring students, collecting food
The opportunity for a student to be the first in a family to go to college and for the student and the school to help out the community is just what NDSU is offering.
The NDSU TRiO program is holding an awards banquet to celebrate and honor students involved with the program at 6 p.m. April 18.
The TRiO is a federally funded program for first generation college students that may not be able to afford college or may be struggling with the work of school.
“Everyone has value and so we represent the underrepresented,” Kris Mickelson, assistant director of Upward Bound, said. “We want to honor the students who have overcome many obstacles to succeed. They will receive an achievement award or a spirit award.”
The Upward Bound program works with high school students and gets them ready for college.
The program also has student support services for tutoring, a veterans program and McNair scholars program.
“The McNair program works with juniors and seniors in college and helps them get a PhD,” Mickelson said. “Our program is one of the top 25 in the nation for number of PhDs attained.”
Research presentations from students involved in the McNair Scholars Program will be shown April 18 and 19 in the Alumni Center.
Along with the banquet, the TRiO program will be holding a food drive April 2-18. The drop-off boxes will be in the Division of Student Affairs and student government offices.
The food will be donated to the Great Plains Food Bank.
Only non-perishable items will be accepted. If someone does not have food to donate, donations in the form of a check written to the Great Plains Food Band will be accepted.
“We hope that all students will be able to donate at least a bit of food,” Mickelson said. “It is getting to that time when students are getting ready to move home and if they donate the food, they don’t have to pack it.”