TRIO scholars share insight and advice

Past and present TRIO participants discuss their experience and share invaluable tips for success in college.

Help was always there

Lurissa Carbajal was a member of the TRIO Student Support Services program and a tutor for TRIO Downtown. She graduated in spring 2019 with a BA in journalism and mass communication from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a certificate in cross-sector leadership from the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.

As an incoming freshman, I struggled because of a lack of motivation and not having enough confidence in myself. TRIO gave me the support system that helped me grow beyond my comfort zone. During my first two years of college I was afraid of speaking up, but after becoming a tutor, I grew beyond that and learned how to better interact with students and staff.

The most helpful aspect about TRIO was knowing there was always someone there to support me throughout my college career. Whether I asked for help or not, I always knew that help was there. This not only helped me grow academically, it also showed me that even if I felt alone, there was always someone in TRIO by my side.

Spending time in TRIO made me realize that mistakes will be made and you will experience some failures during your college career, but those mistakes and failures make up who the person is, which make up the brightest stars in the constellations of life. To any future students, don’t be afraid to ask speak up and don’t be afraid to fail, because those things will help you grow in ways you never expected.

My home away from home

Victoria​ ​Camarillo-Aguilar was a member of the TRIO Student Support Services program and a tutor for TRIO Downtown. She graduated in spring 2019 with a BS in criminology and criminal justice from the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions and a BS in family and human development and a certificate in socio-legal studies from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

TRIO: my home away from home, the family I didn’t know I needed and the program I will miss the most. TRIO has given me some of my dearest friends, supported me in my most challenging times and provided me with encouragement in everything I wanted to do while at ASU.

I so vividly remember my intake with Ralph and how lucky I was to have someone who understood my small-town struggles. He knew how hard it was to leave everything I had known for eighteen years behind, but encouraged me to stay and see where this road took me.

There were times where I wasn’t sure I could make it, but here I am graduating with two degrees and one certificate. I am immensely proud to be a TRIO student, and I don’t know how I would have survived without TRIO. Enjoy every second of this journey. You will experience things that force you to grow as an individual, and you’ll make some of the sweetest memories along the way.

Regardless, take advantage of the resources TRIO offers. This includes free printing, free tutoring (being a tutor, I can say that I have loved seeing you all grow and make the lab feel so welcoming), checking out items, helpful life advice from Ralph, unconditional support from Luis, positive energy from Gabi, academic checks with Ben, catchphrases with the student staff and everything in between. Above all things, remember to live in the moment and if you ever feel out of place, please know that ​you are where you belong​.

 A community of like-minded individuals

Irene Franco Rubio is a tutor at TRIO Downtown. She is a second-year student majoring in journalism and mass communication at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She is also a student in Barrett, the Honors College.

TRIO has provided me with a community consisting of like-minded individuals who come from similar backgrounds and with a network of support that I did not expect to find within a higher education institution like this one.

I have been provided with the ability to better navigate these spaces in college that are not necessarily designed to serve the low-income, first-generation or students with disabilities population. Whether it is academic support or personal development, I have been provided with the resources I need to be successful not only as a freshman but in the years that are yet to come. I encourage all TRIO students to use the resources available to them to the best of their ability in order to obtain a holistic and fulfilling collegiate experience.