We are pleased to announce that Alejandra Hernández-Castro will transition into the role of TRIO SES & STEM Associate Director. For the past 18 years, Alejandra has worked for multiple programs at the KU Center for Educational Opportunity Programs (CEOP) including most recently as Program Coordinator for Heartland CAMP. She…

In spring 2020, the sudden school closures triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic caught students, families, and teachers off guard. The sudden school closures also created challenges for college access and support programs like the ones housed in The University of Kansas Center for Educational Opportunity Programs. One of the Center’s…

This interview was conducted in early March 2020 before the closure of Kansas schools due to COVID-19. As a result, the Spring 2020 Family Language Academies that are highlighted in this story are postponed until in-person school resumes. — As the Director of ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) and Migrant Services at Kansas City Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS), Kristen Scott focuses on addressing the needs of students and families who are new to not just the school district, but the country. In addition to serving students and…

This interview was conducted in early March 2020 before the closure of Kansas schools due to COVID-19. As a result, the Spring 2020 Family Language Academies that are highlighted in this story are postponed until in-person school resumes. — Supporting Technology, Educators, and Parents for Upward Progress (STEP UP) is a federal grant program that is a partnership between the University of Kansas Center for Educational Opportunity Programs and the Kansas City, Kansas English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)/Migrant Services Department. The program promotes ESOL learning among different…

At the University of Kansas, TRIO and GEAR UP programs are housed in one center, the Center for Educational Opportunity Programs (CEOP). CEOP’s full-time communications coordinator, Laura Kingston, works to improve the visibility and impact of CEOP’s programs by leveraging social media, strategic storytelling, and visual communications. With the…

Josh Bernardino, a junior at Topeka High School, envisions himself as a college graduate with a degree in both business management and computer science, perhaps one day owning his own business. Having moved to the United States when he was seven years old, Josh has grown from participating in a…

Byron Lewis, IV has come full circle from where he began his academic journey — Topeka Public Schools (TPS). As a first-year teacher, within the TPS District, Byron has a unique opportunity to serve the community from which he was raised. When he landed his first teaching job in his…

Jonathan Figueroa is a junior at Topeka High School and a self-described “numbers guy”. He joined The University of Kansas TRIO Math and Science Center (MSC) when he was a freshman after his cousin recommended it to him. The KU Math and Science Center is a TRIO Upward Bound program…

The completion of a doctoral degree requires persistence and the ability to balance multiple responsibilities; for students who are also parents, the skill of balancing responsibilities becomes crucial. A large part of this balancing act is juggling “another life — another little person that comes with her own personality and…