Students and graduates from East Tennessee State University TRIO programs participated in the 2025 National TRIO Day of Service and won the Tennessee TRIO Upward Bound Scholars Bowl State Championship.
Held in Knoxville, the day of service aims to express appreciation to the community for supporting TRIO programs. TRIO encompasses seven federally funded programs that assist millions of students from low-income families in attending and graduating college.
ETSU’s Upward Bound program competed against teams across Tennessee and will now represent the state in the Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel Upward Bound Scholars Bowl Championship in Atlanta, Georgia on April 18-19. ETSU’s Upward Bound program will compete against the other state champions from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Members of the ETSU team include Hope Conover (Hampton) – Captain, Tori Casbeer (Hampton) - Captain, Cooper Curtis (Science Hill), Nathan Starnes (West Ridge), Bailey Moss (Hampton), Bryson Laws (Hampton), Logan Brochu (Hampton) and Shaylee Mathes (Elizabethton).
TRIO, a federally funded outreach and student services program, offers potential and current ETSU students a range of assistance that includes financial aid advice and help for veterans. TRIO programs at ETSU have achieved a range of success, including earning impressive grants.
“First-generation students often carry full course loads while working full-time jobs to support themselves and help their families,” said Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education., a non-profit organization advocating for TRIO programs nationwide. “These students are first in their families to meet these new challenges to break the cycle of poverty. They are remarkable and deserve great recognition.”
Learn more about ETSU’s TRIO programs at www.etsu.edu/students/trio/.
East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.
Stay in Touch
Follow ETSU on Social