TRIO and GEAR UP directors visit Capitol Hill TRIO and GEAR UP directors visit Capitol Hill

During spring break, TRIO and GEAR UP directors from Kansas had the opportunity to meet with Sen. Jerry Moran. Present among those on Capitol Hill were Deltha Q. Colvin, Lawanda Holt-Fields, Kennedy Musamali, Corinne Nielsen and Kaye Monk-Morgan. The TRIO staff, along with nearly 700 of their friends, visit Capitol Hill at least annually to inform the congressional delegation of the work happening with low-income, first-generation, differently-abled and veteran students in the state.

The March visit was part of the 37th Annual Policy Seminar coordinated and hosted by the Council for Opportunity in Education, a nonprofit organization established in 1981, dedicated to furthering the expansion of college opportunities for low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., the Pacific islands and Puerto Rico. Its membership includes more than 1,000 colleges and agencies, including Wichita State University.

Featured speakers at this year's Kansas Legislative Breakfast included Sarah, a WSU McNair alumnus and current graduate student at George Washington University and Eugene, a current McNair student who is interning in Senator Moran's office.

Kansas TRIO & GEAR UP directors also had the opportunity to meet with Sen. Roberts, Rep. Kevin Yoder and education aides from the offices of Lynn Jenkins and Dr. Roger Marshall.

TRIO and GEAR UP programs are funded, in part, by the U.S. Department of Education and bring $7,927,391 to WSU and the state of Kansas to advance the mission of increasing college graduation rates for first-generation, low-income, differently-abled and veteran students.