For the past year, I have had the privilege of serving as president of the Educational Opportunity Association (EOA), which is an association for professionals who work in TRIO programs like Upward Bound in a 10-state region in the Midwest. EOA's purpose is to provide educational opportunities for TRIO program students, facilitate access to those opportunities, and engage participating students toward success.
During my tenure as president, the association theme was Keep the Momentum, and I am proud to say that through my work with various committees and the association’s board, we were able to do just that in a variety of categories. Our most notable accomplishments for students directly were:
- Sponsoring study abroad experiences for six students in Salamanca, Spain—TRIO students can apply for this opportunity in college.
Providing $10,000 worth of scholarships for TRIO students within the region.
Hosting three national student conferences that many of you attended this year: Girls in STEM, Men of Excellence, and McNair Scholar Research.
I am very proud of these accomplishments for students because they are representative of the association’s many quality initiatives that truly make a difference in the educational and lifelong success of the students it serves.
In addition to helping implement many initiatives, as president, I oversaw four regional board meetings (Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and two in St. Louis), and I represented the region on a national board, the Council of Opportunity in Education. In this representative role, I attended three board meetings that were held in Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and San Diego. During the year, I also spoke throughout the region.
My presidential year has concluded. Being president of EOA was a wonderful opportunity and experience for me, and I am humbled and grateful to have served as president of an organization that is intent on providing and developing impactful educational opportunities for students.
