This quarter, the TRiO Awards Ceremony will be featuring President David Rule and student speaker Julie Le. The ceremony will be held Thursday, Nov. 21 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in room N201. A quarterly tradition since 2001, the ceremony aims to award students for their achievements and successes.
“The TRiO Awards Ceremony is a celebration of the academic success of TRiO participants,” says Ron Holland, Assistant Director. “Students earning a grade point average of 3.5 and above receive a gold certificate, 3.0 to 3.49 a silver certificate, and 2.5 to 2.99 a bronze certificate.”
TRiO, located in Student Services, is a program designed to help first-generation college students, limited-income students and disabled college students assistance through tutoring and financial aid.
According to TRiO’s website, the program works to “increase persistence and graduation rates of eligible students … increase the college transition rates of students going from two-year to four-year institutions … [and] foster success by encouraging and supporting targeted student populations through various program services and resources.” The average TRiO student has a 3.00 GPA and is three times more likely to graduate from college.
TRiO’s various services include advising, mentoring, workshops, financial aid assistance, scholarships, transfer planning, college campus visits, ESL assistance, a private computer lab, individual and group tutoring, their Summer Bridge program, laptop lending, calculator lending, textbook lending, admissions guidance and group activities. Also offered are classes covering topics such as learning strategies, strategies for English success, and motivation and empowerment.
These services are available for free to students. The only requirement is to participate in one activity a quarter which, depending on how much time you want and are able to commit, could take up anywhere from one hour a week to several hours a day. Once you’re involved, you can remain involved until you leave Bellevue College.
Former BC student Devyn Nolan says that getting involved is well worth the effort, adding, “When I interacted with them, TriO was fast, efficient and friendly.”
To get involved, students can visit TRiO’s office in the B building or go to their website www.depts.bellevuecollege.edu/trio/. Once there, students can find applications and determine their eligibility for the program.