Empowering Futures: Inside JMU's TRIO Programs with Dr. Joy Brittain
News
SUMMARY: On Track Newsletter interview with JMU TRIO Programs Director Dr. Joy Brittain.
James Madison University
JMU's TRIO Programs are crucial in aiding low-income and first-generation students as they navigate the path to higher education. Led by Dr. Joy Brittian, a first-generation student herself, these programs provide a range of free services and activities aimed at easing the transition from 6th-12th grade to post-secondary education. The On Track team recently connected with Joy to delve into the intricacies of JMU's TRIO Programs, her position as TRIO Program Director, and her aspirations for JMU's TRIO programs in the future.
U.S. Department of Education Definitions of Low-Income and First-Generation Students
Low-income:The term “low-income individual” means an individual whose family’s taxable income for the preceding year did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level. Link to the U.S. Department of Education’s current year qualifying taxable income levels: Income Table
First-generation:An individual, neither of whose parents completed a baccalaureate degree;
or
An individual who, before the age of 18, regularly resided with and received support from only one parent and whose supporting parent did not complete a baccalaureate degree
or
An individual who, before the age of 18, did not regularly reside with or receive support from a natural or adoptive parent.If your parent(s) and/or guardian(s) attended college but do not have a bachelor’s degree (i.e., did not graduate), you are considered to be first-generation.
On Track: What are the TRIO Programs?
Joy Brittain: They are federally funded programs that provide support for 6th-12th grade students to obtain a post-secondary degree. There are eight different TRIO Programs nationwide that have various roles depending on age and socioeconomic status. There are some programs that are geared to help 6th-12th graders and some that help all the way to college level and above.
On Track: What TRIO Programs does JMU currently offer?
Joy Brittain: JMU currently offers an Upward Bound Program and an Educational Talent Search Program.
On Track: What is the Upward Bound Program?
Joy Brittain: This program serves up to 60 students in 9th-12th grade with a requirement of ⅔ of those students being low-income and first-generation, while the other ⅓ can be one or the other category. It provides advising, tutoring, academic sessions, field trips, and resources for counseling. A huge component that makes Upward Bound stand out compared to other programs is its Summer Session. This gives students the opportunity to learn and receive higher-level course material, including Math, English Literature and Composition, Laboratory Science, and Foreign Language. There are many other additional support systems in the program such as ACT Preparation or Financial Literacy classes to name a few.
On Track: What is the Talent Search Program?
Joy Brittain: The Talent Search Program is similar to the Upward Bound Program in helping 6th-12th grade students earn a post-secondary education. It has a larger pool of students serving up to 500 kids; ⅔ of the participants must be either low-income or first-generation, while the other ⅓ can be low/income, first-generation or students with academic need who are neither low-income nor first-generation. They also provide advising, tutoring, and field trips for students like the Upward Bound Program. The two main differences between them are the intensity and the inclusion of an extensive Summer Session, mainly due to the high number of students and low number of advisors available.
On Track: What are the objectives and goals of each program and who does each program serve?
Joy Brittain: The goal of the Upward Bound Program is to get students to a bachelor's or associate degree, while Talent Search encourages those post-secondary degrees, but is accepting of a vocational degree as well. Both programs track their students up to six years after they have graduated high school to ensure their student’s success.
On Track: How do the Upward Bound and Talent Search programs benefit students?
Joy Brittain: These programs provide a holistic sense of support that encourages students to strive for academic success, as well as personal success by creating an inclusive and welcoming environment to foster achievement.
On Track: What services and activities do the Upward Bound and Talent Search Programs offer?
Joy Brittain: Upward Bound offers weekly or biweekly advisor meetings and an academic 6-week Summer Session with the goal of getting students to achieve a bachelor's or associate's. In comparison, Talent Search provides access to shorter stem camps in the summer and monthly advisor meetings with a goal of earning a post-secondary education whether it is a vocational degree or a bachelor's or associate's degree. Both programs offer tutoring, college tours, financial aid workshops, and much more.
On Track: What are your goals or ambitions for the JMU Trio Programs in the future?
Joy Brittain: For pre-college programs, we want to make sure that our brand is out there. In the Shenandoah Valley, it was very hard because no one knew they existed. We had to build that trust with the university and families to prove that we were here to help for free. We have already met our number for Upward Bound and we are still working on Talent Search. For Upward Bound, I hope to make sure we can keep including those college classes every summer, getting more scholarships for our students, providing strong college tours from multiple states, and bringing in more of a STEM component. For Talent Search, I want to get a consistent summer session included in the program, making sure we are meeting the needs of our students, and providing those same experiences for students as we do in the Upward Bound Program. We are currently writing for a college-level program for the Student Services Program and try to get one or two of those programs started within the next year. It would bring even more support to our students who choose to stay and go to JMU.
Getting to Know the TRIO Programs Team
On Track: Can you outline your responsibilities as Director of JMU’s TRIO Programs?
Joy Brittain: I oversee curriculum development and faculty development. I am responsible for the budgeting of the programs and delegating where the funds go. I supervise the advisors and student program assistants. I attend all the field trips. Basically, I am involved in all the finance, HR responsibilities, and logistical areas. I also handle any major concerns with the students, parents, or advisors. I deal personally with JMU to figure out what works best for student’s success.
On Track: What is your background or (previous) experience with TRIO Programs?
Joy Brittain: I have been involved in these programs for 27 years. I started out as a director of an Upward Bound math and science program in California. I helped to develop an engineering program with Johns Hopkins University while still being the director at California. I moved to Pasadena City College and brought the John Hopkins Engineering Program with me and once there I added on an additional math/ science program and co-wrote two new programs for the college. I was also an advisor while working at Pasadena, so I have really seen both sides of the job. A big accomplishment for me was being able to earn a scholarship through the Community Foundation for our seniors with the help of my advisors that is up to $4,000-$5,000. I earned my doctorate and have worked with several programs' pre-college and college level, and ultimately oversaw 14 different programs.
On Track: Who currently makes up the JMU TRIO Programs team?
Joy Brittain: Alongside me I am accompanied by an advisor and two program assistants that act as advisors. For Talent Search, there are two full-time advisors, a couple program assistants, and some volunteers. It is pretty much the same for Upward Bound except in the summer, an additional program assistant that acts as a residential advisor and then we will bring in teachers and faculty to teach the classes.
Upward Bound Program Deep Dive
On Track: What typically occurs during an Upward Bound Saturday Workshop? How are Saturday Workshops structured?
Joy Brittain: It depends on each month, one Saturday we may take a field trip. For example, we went to some of the museums in D.C. and looked at the different aspects. We’ll take our students to STEM days at Kings Dominion or have specific presentations about financial literacy or FASFA setup. We do all sorts of workshops and try to split them up to have multiple activities planned that create a well-rounded environment. It is very dependent on the student's needs and making sure we fulfill our grant
On Track: How does the Upward Bound 6-week Summer Session work? How is the 6-week Summer Session organized and executed?
Joy Brittain: It looks very different depending on the university, for here, students get picked up and brought to JMU and are fed breakfast and lunch through D-hall then they go to class. After their last class, they are dropped off back at their houses. Fridays are different, we usually try to do a field trip whether it's educational, cultural, or recreational. We plan for the upcoming year at the end of the summer of the previous year. We look at what best fits into the schedule and what could be interesting to add to the mandatory classes. In the past, I have done a transition to college class and financial literacy classes that are important for students. We try to plan field trips as well around the students and get their input on what they want to do.
On Track: How does the biweekly Upward Bound advisor check-ins work? What strategies do advisors employ to foster student success?
Joy Brittain: Our advisors usually meet the students in the library or cafeteria and ask the students checkup questions to make sure they are doing okay educationally and mentally. It becomes more conversational after and questions what they need from us whether it's help applying to college, applying to FAFSA, completing scholarships. If it’s the younger students, it’s more of a conversation about getting to know them and their background. It’s more than just helping academically we strive to create personal relationships to build success.
On Track: What support does the Upward Bound Program offer to students as they transition into their first year of college and to prepare students for their first year of college?
Joy Brittain: We act as a support system so they know if they start to fall behind, we can typically bring them out of it. During the senior year, we mainly prepare them by ensuring they have completed all the necessary material to be eligible for college. We also provide an opportunity for the kids to receive college credit, which gives them prior knowledge to know what to expect from college.