TRiO programs launch Twitter campaign

Grand Valley's TRiO programs have started a Twitter campaign and hope to gain national attention and spread the word about the programs' success.

Arnie Smithalexander, director of the TRiO Upward Bound program, said she hopes to reach a goal of 1 million tweets sent to @WhiteHouse on Wednesday, March 19. She has enlisted help from other TRiO programs in Michigan. A federal program, TRiO programs provide educational opportunities for underrepresented students in public schools and colleges.

Messages sent that day should use the hashtags #TRiONation. She gave examples of tweets:

• #TRiOWorks because it provides educational opportunity for all #TRiONation
• Education is a major way to break the cycle of poverty #TRiONation
• TRiO provides information to students and families on how to achieve their dreams #TRiONation



This year marks the 50th anniversary of when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act, part of Johnson’s “War on Poverty.” One of the outcomes of the act was establishing TRiO offices.

Smithalexander said students from TRiO programs throughout Michigan voted on the hashtags at a TRiO student leadership conference held at Grand Valley earlier this month.