Celebrating-40-Years-of-Advocacy-and-Success.php

Celebrating 40 Years of Advocacy and Success

• Students
• 02/25/2026

Rock Valley College (RVC) successfully hosted Illinois National TRIO Day this past weekend, welcoming 350 TRIO students and staff from across the state for a day of advocacy, leadership development, and student empowerment.

The event was led by Dr. Elaine Dussard, Executive Director for TRIO Federal Programs, and the RVC TRIO team, including Catherine Buerger, Ashli Horneij, Victoria Alcantar, Christian Hoeger, Jack Howard, RaeAja Horton, Samantha Ingram, Penny Williams, Haleigh Rasmussen, Ryan Wilmers, Nasratullah Ezatyar, Sarah Logemann, Melissa Lawson, and Reegan Kingpavong, along with numerous volunteers, presenters, and campus supporters.

This year’s observance was especially significant as National TRIO Day marks 40 years of nationwide celebration. The federal TRIO programs themselves have been serving students since 1965, providing critical academic support and services to first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students for six decades.

This was Rock Valley College’s second time hosting Illinois National TRIO Day, following its successful 2023 event. The invitation to host again reflects strong statewide confidence in the College’s leadership and ability to coordinate large-scale, student-centered programming.

Statewide Representation and Collaboration

Institutions represented at the event included:

• Roosevelt University

• Danville Area Community College

• Moraine Valley Community College

• Southern Illinois University Carbondale

• Highland Community College

• Illinois Central College

• Kishwaukee College

• Joliet Junior College

• Beloit College

• United Way

The statewide participation demonstrated strong collaboration and a shared commitment to increasing access, persistence, and completion for TRIO-eligible students.

Inspiring Leadership and Alumni Voices

The program opened with an inspirational peer-to-peer address from Trinity Rucker, Rockford’s Youth Poet Laureate and a TRIO Upward Bound student at Rock Valley College who attends Auburn High School. Her remarks on youth advocacy, resilience, and opportunity set an energizing tone for the day.

Participants also heard remarks from Mattie Payne Mallory, Illinois TRIO President (Moraine Valley Community College), and Dr. Howard Spearman, President of Rock Valley College and a TRIO alumnus.

An alumni panel, hosted by Dr. Patrick Peyer, featured former Rock Valley College students, a former Joliet Junior College student, and Dr. Ken Coleman. The discussion highlighted the lasting impact of TRIO support services. Plenary speaker Amanda Kieper delivered a compelling message centered on turning adversity into purpose.

Engaging Student Programming

Students participated in 20 breakout sessions covering topics such as academic strategies, disability awareness and advocacy, financial literacy, leadership development, personal empowerment, College 101, music and mental health, and resources for veterans.

Highlighted sessions included Student Benefits Navigation, Success Strategies for Students with Disabilities, Self-Advocacy 101, Understanding Disability Identity, Turning Your Pain into Purpose, True Financial Freedom, Smart Money Moves, Preparing for College as an Athlete, Discovering Strengths and Growth Pathways, and Financial Surviving and Thriving.

Sessions were intentionally designed to provide practical tools alongside identity-affirming support that students can immediately apply in their academic and personal lives. In alignment with National TRIO Day’s advocacy mission, students also wrote letters to members of Congress expressing gratitude for continued federal support of TRIO programs, reinforcing civic engagement and policy awareness.

During lunch, United Way facilitated a literacy initiative in which students wrote letters of encouragement to first graders, emphasizing mentorship, service, and community responsibility. Maurice Redd also led a workshop on Smart Money Moves.

Strong Campuswide Support

The success of National TRIO Day was made possible through broad campus collaboration. Students, staff, faculty, and community volunteers supported the event throughout the day. The College’s POM team prepared and set up the event space, while Jeremy Tallacksen provided audiovisual and technology coordination. Brent Jepsen from Marketing supported promotional and communication efforts that elevated the visibility and professionalism of the event.

Sponsorship and Partnership

National TRIO Day 2026 was strongly supported by Illinois TRIO and GreenState Bank, whose partnership contributed significantly to the event’s quality and impact.

Demonstrating Leadership in Student Success

High engagement across breakout sessions, strong student response to alumni representation, and active participation in federal advocacy efforts were among the key outcomes of the day. Financial literacy, self-advocacy, and social-emotional development sessions were among the most attended.

National TRIO Day 2026 celebrated 40 years of advocacy while honoring a federal program that has changed lives since 1965. The event served as a visible demonstration of Rock Valley College’s continued commitment to educational equity, civic engagement, and student success across Illinois.