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More Than 10,000 TRIO Alumni Urge Congress to Protect Federal TRIO Programs

June 3, 2025 — by Terrance L. Hamm

Supporters of TRIO assembled on Capitol Hill in March during COE’s annual Legislative Conference. The Trump Administration’s claim that access is no longer an obstacle for low-income students is flatly contradicted by data and by the lived experience of more than 6 million TRIO alumni.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) proudly recognizes and applauds the more than 10,000 alumni of the Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) who have come together in an unprecedented show of unity to oppose the Trump Administration’s proposal to eliminate TRIO in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget.

“As a first-generation college student from a low-income family in Eastern Kentucky Appalachia, I needed TRIO to prepare me for higher education,” said TRIO Upward Bound and Student Support Services alumnus Charles Hargis. Hargis credits TRIO with helping him graduate debt-free, earn a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, and now works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency.

He was just one of the 10,234 TRIO alumni who called on Congress to reject the proposed elimination of TRIO.

In the powerful letter sent to congressional appropriations leadership, TRIO alumni from every state and several U.S. territories called on Congress to reject the proposed cuts and reaffirm its commitment to college access and success for low-income, first-generation students. The signatories ranged from recent high school graduates pursuing higher education to those who have completed their degrees and now serve their communities as nurses, doctors, teachers, scientists, and in numerous other industries.

“On behalf of the nearly 870,000 current TRIO participants and more than 6 million TRIO alumni, we thank these signatories for using their voice to defend the programs that changed their lives,” said Kimberly Jones, president of COE. “This is a clear message to Congress: TRIO works and must be protected.”

The letter emphasizes TRIO’s six-decade track record of success and its measurable impact:

Upward Bound students are more than twice as likely to earn a bachelor’s degree by age 24 than students in the lowest income quartile.
Student Support Services participants are 47% more likely to complete a two-year degree or transfer, and 18% more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree than similar nonparticipants.
Talent Search students are 33% more likely to enroll in college than those from the bottom income quartile.
Veterans Upward Bound participants are 42% more likely than their peers to earn a bachelor’s degree within six years.
EOC programs report that 60.6% of “college-ready” participants enrolled in higher education, and 71% applied.
McNair Scholars are 78% more likely to enroll in graduate school than similarly situated low-income college graduates.

The letter was addressed to the leadership of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, urging them to fund TRIO programs at the highest possible level in FY26 appropriations.

In addition to its proven effectiveness, TRIO is essential in rural communities and under-resourced schools that often lack the infrastructure to support students from historically marginalized backgrounds. TRIO bridges that gap—providing personalized advising, mentorship, academic support, and a clear pathway to college completion.

“TRIO is not just a program—it is a movement of resilience, potential, and hope,” said Jones. “We will continue to work with alumni, educators, students, and advocates to ensure Congress hears this message loud and clear.”

Earlier today, Education Secretary Linda McMahon testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) on the Department of Education’s FY26 budget request. During her remarks, the Secretary justified the Administration’s proposed elimination of TRIO by arguing that the agency lacked the “ability to go in and look at the accountability of TRIO programs.” McMahon argued, “I just think that we aren’t able to see the effectiveness across the board that we would normally look to see with our federal spending.”

In response, Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Co-Chair of the Congressional TRIO Caucus, asserted, “I think the answer is to reform and strengthen those programs. Fix what’s wrong, increase accountability, not abolish them, and I look forward to working with you in that regard.”

During both the 117^th and 118^th Sessions of Congress, Senator Collins, along with LHHS Subcommittee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and LHHS Subcommittee Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), co-sponsored the Educational Opportunity and Success Act. This bill would bring even greater efficiency and clarity to the accountability measures already embedded in the legislation governing the Federal TRIO Programs.

As part of this national effort to defend and uplift the TRIO mission, COE encourages all supporters to participate in the national TRIO Works Day of Service on Saturday, June 21. Across the country, TRIO students, alumni, staff, and community partners will give back through local service projects, public events, and storytelling activities that showcase the power and impact of TRIO.

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries or to arrange an interview, please contact Terrance L. Hamm, associate vice-president for communications and marketing at COE via email at [email protected] or call (202) 347-7430.

More Than 10,000 TRIO Alumni Urge Congress to Protect Federal TRIO Programs

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