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By Holly Desrosier

Students and staff from �ƹ���Ƶ’s (�ƹ���Ƶ CC) TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO) participated in the 2020 National TRIO Day of Service on Feb. 22 to express appreciation to the community for its support of the TRIO programs.

This year, �ƹ���Ƶ CC’s TRIO department decided to help out at the �ƹ���Ƶ-Pamlico Animal Services Center by delivering much-needed pet food, spending some time with the cats and dogs and making a few furry friends along the way. TRIO’s month-long pet food drive collected a large quantity of food donated from students, staff and faculty on both �ƹ���Ƶ CC campuses.

“I enjoyed it,” said student Shannon Andrews. “It was wonderful. Not only did I get to do something that was super helpful, but I got to enjoy it with a great program that really cares about the students.”

The staff at the �ƹ���Ƶ-Pamlico Animal Shelter enjoyed TRIO’s company almost as much as the animals did, as the students assisted with tasks such as laundry, dog walking and cat feeding. The TRIO participants also enjoyed working with the shelter.

“It was a joy to be part of the TRIO National Day of Service this year,” said Donna Marshall, director of the �ƹ���Ƶ CC TRIO department. “I worked beside our students to love and care for the animals at the animal shelter that need it so desperately.”

The TRIO National Day of Service coincides with National TRIO Day, a tradition that began from a congressional resolution passed on Feb. 24, 1986 to commemorate the annual achievements of the Federal TRIO programs in communities across the country. Since then, many community TRIO programs have reserved the fourth Saturday of February as an opportunity for students who have benefitted from the TRIO programs to give back to their local communities through various services.

“It is a win-win for everyone involved,” said Marshall. “For the local TRIO program, a light is shined on the positive influence it is having on individuals that seek our service. Many of our students do not realize there is a program that offers such incredible support for first-generation, income-eligible and/or disabled students. For our program participants, the Day of Service lets them learn first-hand about the work and impact of community organizations and allows them to give back to their community. For the organization chosen, much needed help and supplies are contributed, and they often expand their volunteer base as many TRIO participants want to continue helping.”

For millions of students from low-income families who strive to be the first in their families to attend and graduate from college, seven federally funded programs called TRIO are making a world of difference. Unlike student financial aid programs which help students overcome financial barriers to higher education, the TRIO programs have been providing valuable supportive services to students from poor and working families to successfully enter college and graduate for over 50 years.

TRIO services include assistance in choosing a college; tutoring; personal and financial counseling; career counseling; assistance in applying to college; workplace and college visits; special instruction in reading, writing, study skills and mathematics; assistance in applying for financial aid; and academic support in high school or assistance to re-enter high school.

Today, more than 1,000 colleges, universities and community agencies host over 2,800 TRIO projects. These projects serve more than 800,000 students from middle school through post-graduate study. TRIO serves students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.

For more information about �ƹ���Ƶ CC’s TRIO program, contact the New Bern campus at 252-638-1263 or the Havelock campus at 252-444-8206. To adopt a furry friend in need of a loving home, contact �ƹ���Ƶ-Pamlico Animal Services Center at 252-637-4606 or visit 1639 Old Airport Road in New Bern.