National TRIO Achievers (2009)

 

Cynthia Azari President, Fresno City College Alumna, Upward Bound, Huston Tillotson College

 

I am a first-generation college student; my parents dropped out of school in the ninth grade. I am the second of seven children and the only one to earn a graduate degree. My father’s family was originally from Monterrey, Mexico. My grandfather was known as “Michigan Joe” since he took his family to Michigan every summer to plant crops, work the fields, and harvest them in late summer and fall. My mother’s father was originally from San Antonio, TX and his grandmother was born at the Alamo when that part of Texas was still part of Mexico. My mother’s mother was a member of the Coushatta Tribe from Eastern Louisiana. Neither completed the fifth grade.

My parents were married in Texas, but moved to California where we lived in a small house and picked grapes, cotton, and apricots. My mother and her seven children moved to Texas when I was 10 because my parents divorced and we went to live with my mother’s parents. My mother had a 9^th grade education, so she earned her GED and completed a radiology technology program so she could support her family. She worked three jobs while going to school.

Participating in Upward Bound gave me an opportunity to be on a college campus, and I learned not to be intimidated by the higher education environment—and to feel comfortable about asking for assistance when needed. Upward Bound also taught me the 5-P’s: Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. This has been my mantra for many years. I used it in school when the lazy side of me said, “You can wing it,” but the success-oriented side of me said, “Do your homework; read the textbook; write a meaningful paper.” I was most successful when I was prepared. In my career, I have used the 5-P’s as well.

Most of my career has been in higher education and most of my work has been in community colleges. Community colleges are often the college of choice for first-generation college students, and, as a first-generation college student, I have been able to relate to students and have fostered a student-centered environment. I firmly believe in the mission of community colleges and I know that, like TRIO programs, we have made a difference in the lives of millions of people, and we will continue to do so.

 

 

David Baxley Chief Meteorologist, WKSO-TV Channel 8 Alumnus, Talent Search and Upward Bound, Central Alabama Community College

 

Growing up in a small town, I was not always afforded the best opportunities. My parents divorced when I was 15 years old. My relationship with my father was tenuous, punctuated with sporadic visits. Eventually the visits stopped altogether. For a teenager, not having a strong, positive supportive father, life can be tough. Of course, growing up in a single-parent home, finances were tight. My mother was working two jobs to provide for us. She was tired when she came home, but always made time for us. Providing moral support was as important to her as making ends meet. Even so, I was aware of the many difficulties that we faced on a daily basis.

I have been truly blessed to have a loving mother who cared deeply about my educational opportunities. She instilled in me a desire to want to learn more about the world, to learn as much as I can, and to always give only my best. My teachers were sources of wisdom from which I drew much knowledge. Some of them recognized my ability and encouraged me to become part of the TRIO programs. These programs afforded me opportunities I would not otherwise have had. Furthermore, they had teachers who took the time to encourage me to become more active in my classes and to share my ideas and hopes for the future. These programs pinpointed me as a person who, even from a disadvantaged background, had potential to succeed in higher education. As a member of Educational Talent Search and Upward Bound, I gained self-confidence and learned that I could achieve my goals. Soon, I was helping other students to become high achievers. I will always be indebted to Talent Search and Upward Bound for seeing my potential and giving me encouragement to reach my short- and long-term goals.

One of my long-term goals was to become a television meteorologist. I recall the days of attending sessions on Saturday morning and then being driven by my mother to a television station about 35 miles away to intern in the afternoon. It was tough and meant giving up free time on weekends, but I was gaining valuable knowledge that would serve me well for the rest of my life. My dream was beginning!

My dream became a reality. I recognize the importance of education and the meaningful involvement the TRIO programs played. The opportunities I have had through life have been extraordinary. Although I came from a broken home, I have never stopped looking to the horizon. I have many people and organizations to thank for helping me reach my goals. The TRIO programs rank at the top of the list when it comes to lending encouragement and providing inspiration to a young man who might not have otherwise recognized his full potential.

 

 

Anthony Chapa Director of Business Operations, Special Operations Technology, Inc. and former Assistant Director, Office of Professional Responsibility, United States Secret Service Alumnus, Upward Bound, St. Mary’s University

 

Like many of my high school friends back in San Antonio during the 1970’s, I was mostly focused on just graduating from high school. I was not looking forward to attending college and never talked about obtaining a college degree. I was recruited into the Upward Bound program and introduced to other students from the Hispanic neighborhoods of San Antonio—students, like me, whose parents were humble and protective of their sons and daughters. Parents who wanted their children to succeed, but parents who might have only graduated from high school—and if they did, they were the first in their families to obtain that level of education.

The St. Mary’s University Upward Bound program helped me to see beyond my seemingly limited horizons and provided me with a renewed sense of self-confidence. I was exposed to an environment where I was able to voice MY ideas before a group of like-minded students. In this protected environment we were allowed to dream and to think out loud about what it might be like to continue our educations. We learned what a college education might afford us. I was able to consider, for the first time, what I might be able to achieve if only I were able to afford a college education.

The Upward Bound program provided me with an opportunity to become comfortable on a college campus. It was no longer a foreign place for which I had no frame of reference. I was also able to take members of my family to the campus to see where I was spending more and more of my free time. They too were afforded an opportunity to embrace the idea and understand the importance of pursuing a four-year degree. Thanks to the St. Mary’s Upward Bound program, I was able to move forward with confidence. I obtained help from the program with financial aid and career counseling, and I always had a friend to call upon if I needed to talk.

This education allowed me to follow my interest in serving my country and, in turn, to become the highest-ranked Hispanic in the United States Secret Service. I retired in 2008 as its Assistant Director, Office of Professional Responsibility. Thanks to Upward Bound and the opportunities afforded to me by the Secret Service, I ended up protecting the President and Vice President of the United States, former U.S. Presidents, visiting world leaders, and traveling the world.

 

 

Tyrone Flowers Founder and President, Higher M-Pact, Inc. Alumnus, Educational Opportunity Center, Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley

 

As an urban youth, born to a teenage mother, I was shuffled between foster homes and detention centers. I gained popularity in high school on the basketball court and graduated from high school positioned to play basketball at the collegiate level. However, just two weeks before graduation, I was shot three times by a basketball teammate. The shooting left me in a wheelchair with limited use of my body. By most people’s standards, my future was bleak at best, but I chose to use my mind. Despite the varied social tags I was given, I know there was something more. I was determined to transform my life and be a catalyst for change.

I was determined to prove wrong all the adults who made a prediction of no hope for my future and enrolled at Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley to work towards an associate’s degree. I became involved with the Educational Opportunity Center, where I went looking for assistance with exploring my transfer scholarships options. I needed help with scholarships, housing, and other related accommodations.

With the help of EOC, following Penn Valley, I attended the University of Missouri-Columbia where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in psychology. I went on to receive a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law.

I chose to use my education to help high-risk urban youth, their families, and communities. My personal and professional experience with the Jackson County Family Court and careful study of the juvenile justice system and various youth organizations led me to create Higher M-Pact, Inc. This is a non-profit organization whose focus is to mentor, develop, and restore hope in the lives of high-risk urban youth, their families, and high-risk communities. We aim to turn their obstacles into opportunities and create a foundation for success. The organization has positioned itself to emerge as a leader in providing effective programs, services, and experiences to youth in the Kansas City, MO area and beyond.

I am involved with community service organizations, agencies, and have served on local, statewide, and national committees and boards addressing the needs of youth and the community. I am honored to have been recognized for my community work and to have won awards in recognition for creating an organization that is a catalyst for change in the lives of high-risk youth.

 

 

Anastasia Pittman State Representative, Oklahoma House of Representatives Alumna, Student Support Services, University of Oklahoma

 

I got involved with Student Support Services (called Project Threshold) during my academic endeavor at the University of Oklahoma. There, I met some of the most influential administrators and tutors who have become lifetime colleagues and personal friends. I received hands-on training on how to take exams and was helped on homework assignments.

I am grateful for Student Support Services. It provides an opportunity for students with different educational backgrounds to participate in a positive environment and helps develop students, while preparing them for high education and adulthood.

I completed my undergraduate degree in 1993, but because it took me another six years to completely repay the debts I incurred through the university, my degree wasn’t released until 1999. I had received money through various forms of financial aid, but efficiently managing the money while transitioning into new community and life experiences—as well as learning to limit non-academic expenses—proved difficult. Because of this, I have made it one of my missions to help others in their goal of attaining a higher education degree, and to avoid the financial burdens that I incurred as a college student.

I developed leadership skills during my participation and I will forever cherish the opportunities that were afforded me. I believe that through my participation in the TRIO program, I gained the knowledge and self-esteem to become a state representative.

It is programs such as TRIO that we strive to retain on college campuses in order to help students have access to college and an equal opportunity to succeed in Oklahoma. The return on the investment is priceless.

 

 

Cy Thao State Representative, Minnesota House of Representatives; Artist; and Owner, Sunlight Services, LLC Alumnus, Upward Bound, University of Minnesota

 

My father was one of five provincial Governors in Xieng Khouang province, appointed by the Governor. He was also a farmer who had never gone to school. We lived in a small village high in the mountains in northern Laos. Because he had sided with the U.S. during the Vietnam War, after the war, my father had to leave the country or be killed. When I was three, we were smuggled out of Laos in the middle of the night and lived in a refugee camp in Thailand for the next five years. We came to the U.S. when I was eight. Growing up was difficult: I had a late start; had to learn a new language; we were poor and different, so we were easy targets for the school bullies.

I was a sophomore at North Community High School when I heard about Upward Bound. I learned about the program through my friends in the program. The program helped steer my interest towards college through afterschool support, summer college preparatory classes, college visits, and preparing for the college entrance exams. Basic information on how to apply for student financial aid and how to fill out a college application were difficult tasks if no one in your family knew how to do it.

With the help of the Upward Bound counselors, I was able to start thinking about the real possibility of college but more importantly, they showed me how to get to college and stay in college. They provided me with the knowledge on how to manage my time so I could be successful once I got into college. They helped connect the dots for me. Not going to college after high school was not an option for me anymore. Upward Bound not only showed me that I could go to college, but it prepared me to be successful.

Through Upward Bound I was also able to learn about civic engagement. I had the opportunity to spend a week at the State Capitol and learn about state government and the political process. At the time I didn’t think much about the experience, but after reflecting on it later, now I think that experience led me to want to run for public office, and now I am a member of the Minnesota State Legislature.

Today, I am not just a member of the State Legislature; I am an award-winning artist who has created many opportunities for other artists through the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (which I co-founded). So far, I am the only Hmong American artist to have a solo exhibition of my paintings at the world-renowned Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the largest art museum in Minnesota. In 2002 I ran a successful political campaign and became the first Hmong American in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

I am particularly pleased that once I learned how to navigate the college preparation and admissions process through Upward Bound, I was able to help my six brothers and sisters to go beyond high school. My parents had never even been to a school until they came to this country. My family now has five college and three technical college graduates.

I can honestly say that my life and the life of my family could have turned out much differently if I had not had the opportunities Upward Bound provided. Thanks to Upward Bound; their investment has paid off. The cycle of poverty for our family has been broken.