TRiO Student Support Services at Parkland College promotes equal opportunity to succeed by providing high quality and responsive support services for first-generation college students, low-income students, and students with disabilities. Parkland TRiO promotes long-term goal setting and career planning through the development of skills which enable students to persist, excel, graduate, and transfer. By building relationships and fostering connections, they empower their students to affect change in themselves and the community.
We had a chance to talk with TRiO staff about the resources available to TRIO students.
Nicole DelMastro-Jeffery, Parkland TRiO / Student Support Services Director, is dedicated to helping students overcome the disproportionate impacts caused by the global pandemic.
“Me and my team work diligently to provide a welcoming environment for students by implementing practices such as sense of belonging and ongoing needs assessments.” says DelMastro-Jeffery. “Since April 2022, Parkland TRiO has had the opportunity to have taken students on 3 college visits, attended multiple cultural events, and engaged students in learning by increasing engagement.”
“I have worked at Parkland College for 20 years now, and all 20 of those years have been working for TRiO. It is a very rewarding job.” says Mark Saint-McDowell, TRiO Student Support Service Coordinator. “I’ve had the pleasure of working under excellent supervisors/bosses. I’ve worked with wonderful co-workers. And the best part of TRiO has been working with a smaller group of amazing Parkland students who we can often get to know fairly well, establishing a rapport, establishing trust, and establishing engagement that will help catapult our students to their next step! And it’s true that many of our students are excellent students and quite capable of being successful on their own efforts, but many of them enjoy engaging with TRiO for encouragement and the warm familial environment in which TRiO activities transpire and TRiO resources are made available.”
If there was one good thing that DelMastro-Jeffery and Saint-McDowell could say about the pandemic, it would be that it forced them and TRiO to take most of the resources that they offer to Parkland students and make them available online! “From meetings with a TRiO advisor, to academic workshops, to personal development workshops, to cultural activities, to tutoring, to college tours…TRiO was able to do it all online. Now that pandemic restrictions are easing up, we try to implement more activities in-person but online meetings, workshops, tutoring, and activities are still very much a part of our repertoire of resources, especially if students prefer off-campus interaction.”
“Personally, I like to tell students that “We want to be your family away from home. Look at us as your big brother or big sisters.” says Saint-McDowell. “We’ve often been where our students are… and we’ve been where they’re headed. So, we are pretty resourceful at helping students find resources to support their educational pursuits. We welcome students who are pursuing a terminal degree or certificate and planning to join the workforce after Parkland. And we welcome students who are pursuing their associate’s and transfer to a 4-year college or university to pursue their Bachelor’s! We have resources to support all who meet TRiO requirements!”
Parkland TRiO / Student Support Services is a grant-funded academic support program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. Parkland TRiO is funded to support 180 students each school year and has served well over 3,000 students since its inception in 1997. TRiO students are more likely to stay enrolled and graduate than their peers, and many cite their TRiO participation as a primary factor in their success in four-year schools and the workplace.
TRiO services are available to qualified students who meet income guidelines, whose parents do not have a bachelor’s degree, and/or are registered with Parkland’s Accessibility Services office. To become a TRiO participant, you must meet certain eligibility requirements. You must also submit an application.
Do you have any questions about joining Parkland TRiO?
Learn more about their available services.
Check out their frequently asked questions.
Or contact…
Mark Saint-McDowell, Academic Coordinator, TRiO / Student Support Services
mmcdowell@parkland.edu | 217/353-2300 | Room U-252
Nicole M. DelMastro-Jeffery, Associate Director, TRiO / Student Support Services
ndelmastro@parkland.edu | 217/351-2266 | Room U-252
Nikola Buis
Prospectus Reporter