Jessica Samuels receives the TRIO Achiever Award

Washington State University Pullman's Jessica Samuels received the TRIO Achiever Award from the Northwestern Association of Educational Opportunity Programs (NAEOP). Samuels is the assistant director in Multicultural Student Services and retention counselor in the African American Student Center.

The award was presented on Oct. 7 during the association's annual meeting and recognizes current and/or former TRIO participants that have made outstanding contributions to society. It comes with a $250 honorarium that Samuels is donating to Hadja Mariam Hassan Sylla, a WSU student participating in TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) and Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program.

"As a first-generation student, Miriam is very active in the WSU community serving as a mentor in the African American Student Center and budget finance intern in the Women*s Center," Samuels said. "This is a great opportunity for me to pay it forward."

Samuels is a graduate of the University of Idaho and participated in several TRIO programs as a student there including Upward Bound, Student Support Services, and the McNair Scholars Program. That experience coupled with her success helping students at WSU, made her a perfect candidate for the award, according to nominator Nancy Hernandez, the academic coordinator and retention specialist in WSU's SSS.

Hernandez first met Samuels while she was a student in SSS at the University of Idaho, and Samuels worked in the program as her academic success counselor.

"The biggest thing for me is not the award itself, but the fact that one of my former students nominated me for it," Samuels said. "To see her, and many others I've worked with over the years, flourishing in their careers - to me that's what it is all about."

Another TRIO professional and former student, Mayra De Leon from Boise State University, sent Samuels a congratulations message following the awards ceremony. "Thank you for all your mentoring and support," De Leon wrote. "You are a constant inspiration and role model to all your past and current students." she said.

Samuels said the success of these students is evidence that TRIO programs can and do change lives. Click here to learn more about the TRIO programs in WSU's Student Affairs.

NAEOP's region 10 includes Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington, and sponsors professional conferences, meetings, training, mentoring, and other educational forums for its members, which includes WSU Pullman, Spokane, and Tri-Cities.