For the past 25 years, CSN’s TRIO Student Support Services program has been a vital resource for our students, particularly those who are first-generation college students, come from low-income backgrounds, or have documented disabilities. Sadly, the program will sunset at the end of August due to a loss of federal funding.

While this change is difficult, it’s important to reflect on the remarkable legacy TRIO leaves behind — and more importantly, how we can continue to uphold the spirit of this work in our daily roles.

Since 2000, TRIO at CSN has served more than 3,000 students, offering personalized advising, transfer preparation, financial aid guidance, and a sense of community. Under the leadership of Director Nicholas Goodsell, the program served 200+ students annually in recent years — with an average 90 percent rate of academic good standing and persistence. Graduation rates for TRIO participants regularly outpaced national averages, and many of our alumni have gone on to become lawyers, doctoral students, civic leaders, and more.

Nationally, TRIO programs have empowered millions of students, including U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, who credits TRIO at UNR for teaching him to use his voice and believe in his future. Here at CSN, students like Yvette Machado — who began her journey with a GED and full Pell support — used TRIO to find confidence, become student body president, and earn admission to Boyd Law at UNLV.

We know this loss will be felt deeply by the students who relied on TRIO’s holistic, wraparound services. Approximately 200 students each year benefited from its unique model. It is unfortunate that the federal funding has ended. This moment also calls us to action. Even without a formal TRIO program, the work of supporting first-gen, Pell-eligible, and disabled students is far from over — it’s simply shifting.

CSN remains committed to serving these students through existing campus resources, but the most important resource will always be you. Every faculty and staff member has the power to help a student feel seen, heard, and supported.

Let us honor the legacy of TRIO by continuing its mission in our own classrooms, offices, and conversations.