Kimberly Jones, the incoming president of COE, shared an update at the annual conference, highlighting the resilience of the TRIO movement despite funding challenges. While the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 maintained level funding for TRIO programs, Jones emphasized the importance of grassroots efforts and addressed potential challenges arising from debates around diversity and equity.

Five outstanding TRIO alumni were honored with the 2023 National TRIO Achiever Awards at COE’s annual conference. Cheryl L. Johnson, James T. Brett, Fernando Cárdenas, Lesia Crumpton-Young, and Ruben Canedo shared inspiring stories of how TRIO programs like Upward Bound played a pivotal role in their success, emphasizing the importance of investing in education and advocating for programs like Head Start, Talent Search, and Student Support Services to provide greater returns than taxpayer dollars spent on juvenile detention facilities.

At the Council for Opportunity in Education’s annual conference, the 2023 TRIO Family Achievement Award was presented to President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. and First Lady Valerie Ngereblungt Remengesau Whipps of the Republic of Palau, who both participated in the Upward Bound program at Palau Community College. The award recognizes the transformative impact of TRIO on individuals and families, highlighting how it prepared the Whipps for leadership roles, and President Whipps shared his personal journey from Upward Bound to the presidency, emphasizing the program’s motivational and confidence-building aspects.

Pamela Horsford’s journey from Trinidad to the U.S. and her son, Congressman Steven Horsford’s, rise from adversity to Congress were highlighted at the annual conference. TRIO played a pivotal role in Steven’s path, showcasing the power of TRIO in empowering individuals to overcome challenges and become leaders like him, as emphasized by moderator Henry Bonilla and Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, both TRIO alumni.