Catalina Rodriguez, director of Purdue University North Central TRIO Student Support Services programs has been named secretary of the Indiana TRIO Executive Board.
The appointment as secretary comes in addition to her current position as chair of the Awards & Recognition Committee, which recognizes three professionals for their contributions to the TRIO community.
TRIO is a series of federally-funded college opportunity programs created to support students in earning a college degree. The original three programs were established in the 1960s, leading to the term “TRIO.” Today, there are six programs, of which PNC has two: Student Support Services, in place since 1984 and Educational Talent Search, in place since 1989. Rodriguez oversees Student Support Services.
As member of the Executive Board, Rodriguez feels that she can aid the PNC TRIO programs. “We will have access to quality professional development, have the ability to build stronger relationships with colleagues and we will learn innovative best practices in the state,” she explained.
Student Support Services was created to increase the number of disadvantaged, low-income, first generation college and students with a documented disability earning college degrees. At PNC, it motivates and provides 195 student participants with the resources to be successful, including one-on-one tutoring, proactive academic support, financial literacy, financial aid assistance, career and personal advising and opportunities for cultural and social activities.
Rodriguez noted that the PNC TRIO participants consistently exceed the program’s federally established goals for academic persistence, good academic standing, and graduation rates.
Indiana TRIO provides leadership and scholarship opportunities for TRIO students in Indiana, creates quality professional development, promotes advocacy efforts and engages TRIO alumni.
Indiana has 38 TRIO programs serving about 11,000 students and bring in nearly $11 million in federal funding.