By ALLISON RUWALDT
The TRIO members at NWOSU who attended TRIO Day at the Capitol got to hear from a state representative and former alumnus.
TRIO Day is a national day on Feb. 28 made to celebrate the program and the good things it accomplishes. Oklahoma celebrated TRIO Day on Feb. 25 by inviting the members to the state capitol.
“I hope that the biggest change in students is that they can see that it is important to be engaged in their state,” said Tosh Miller, NWOSU TRIO director.
The event had over 600 members from around the state attending. The students got to hear from Kyle Hilber, the speaker of the House, four alumni and two state representatives.
The students got a chance to hear from state Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, who is a former member of TRIO. He spoke about his story and encouraged students to strive for great things.
“It’s a reminder that you can just do that,” Miller said. “Representative Sandoval ran for office at 22 years old right after he graduated from OU Engineering school, and you can just do that.”
The students got to tour the Capitol building, and for some, it was their first time going. Though one speaker canceled on them because of a scheduling conflict, the students were still able to enjoy their time.
The thing that impacted students the most was realizing how important their voices are. Miller mentioned talking to the students about how often they forget they can call and suggest changes.
“I forget you can just call them and have a meeting with them and voice your own opinion,” said Rosa Vargas, a music major at NWOSU. “So it just really opened my eyes, like even though I’m a regular person, I could kind of make a change.”
TRIO Day gives the students a chance to hear from important people who have been where they are and connect with more people in TRIO. All the members in the state are welcome to come to make connections with those speaking and attending.
“I know there are people who are like me, who are first gen or low income,” Vargas said. “I can relate, and I’m not afraid to ask questions because, like these people probably have also gone through what I’m going through.”
The TRIO program has done great things for its students as a whole, said Itzel Castillo, a social work major at NWOSU. Many of the students find comfort in the community it has created, and being able to attend things like TRIO Day is a way to celebrate that.
“I was able to go and talk to the advisors whenever I needed help with homework or to vent,” she said. “TRIO impacted me in a very positive way as I was able to get the academic support I needed.”