Staff Present Four Workshops at the Annual Regional TRIO Conference

Leading the Way in Educational Equity: UMBC at MEAEOPP 2026

The UMBC Office of Academic Opportunity Programs (AOP) is proud to announce that our leadership and staff have been selected to present four dynamic workshops at the 49th Annual Mid-Eastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (MEAEOPP) Conference.

Taking place this year in Hanover, Maryland, the conference theme—“Empowering Dreams & Transforming Lives”—perfectly aligns with our mission at UMBC. From innovative mentoring frameworks to the strategic management of federal grants, our team is excited to share the evidence-based practices and organizational strategies that drive student success within our TRIO community.

Explore the workshop details below to see how UMBC is contributing to the regional conversation on educational equity.

Leading Multiple TRIO Grants in a Matrix Environment

Corris Davis, PhD
Senior Director, Office of Academic Opportunity Programs
As TRIO grant awards have failed to keep pace with inflation while salaries and operating costs continue to rise, many TRIO offices are increasingly required to manage multiple federal grants within a single organizational unit. TRIO directors overseeing multiple programs must balance the need for efficiency and shared capacity with the Department of Education’s clear expectation that each program maintain distinct objectives, services, and implementation. This interactive workshop introduces a matrix environment framework tailored specifically to TRIO programs, demonstrating how shared leadership, administrative, and compliance infrastructure can be leveraged across grants without compromising program integrity. Participants will examine common risk points, identify functions appropriate for cross-grant alignment, and map roles that preserve program-specific delivery at the staff level. Through applied examples and guided reflection, attendees will leave with practical tools to clarify ownership, reduce duplication, and strengthen compliance, while sustaining high-quality student services. This session is designed for TRIO directors, associate directors, and senior staff managing more than one grant within the same office.

Dialogue as Practice: Empowering Dreams and Transforming Lives Through Holistic Critical Mentoring in TRIO

Michael Hunt, PhD
Project Director, McNair Scholars

TRIO programs are designed to empower dreams and transform lives, yet the everyday practices that make this possible are often left unnamed. This interactive workshop reframes dialogue as a transformative practice that shapes students’ experiences of belonging, possibility, and support within TRIO programs. Grounded in Holistic Critical Mentoring (HCM), a research-based framework developed through work with McNair and other access-oriented initiatives, this session explores how intentional dialogue can affirm student aspirations while transforming mentoring, advising, and program design.

Participants will engage in facilitated dialogic tools, including community agreements, reflective dialogue, and coaching circles, to examine how dialogue currently functions in their TRIO contexts. Through hands-on activities and real-world scenarios, participants will explore how dialogic practices can empower students to articulate their dreams, navigate systemic barriers, and build confidence in their academic and professional pathways.

This workshop emphasizes actionable outcomes. Participants will leave with concrete tools and a personalized commitment to strengthen dialogic practice in their own TRIO programs. Designed for TRIO professionals at all levels, this session aligns directly with the conference theme “Empowering Dreams & Transforming Lives” by centering dialogue as a catalyst for student empowerment and institutional transformation.

Prepared For What? Defining College Readiness Standards in Upward Bound

G. Williamson
Academic Specialist and Instructor, Classic Upward Bound
JuQuay Collier
College Readiness Team, Classic Upward Bound

This workshop centers on the importance of developing internal college readiness standards that intentionally align program activities, staff practices, and student supports with clearly articulated outcomes within Upward Bound programs. Participants will examine how internally defining standards can serve as a unifying structure across academic instruction, advising, enrichment, and social-emotional development while remaining aligned with federal TRIO objectives. The session will highlight how these standards promote consistency and intentionality, while allowing programs to clearly map what they do to what students are expected to gain. Attention will be given to approaches that reflect the strengths, identities, and needs of Upward Bound students. Through practical examples and guided activities, attendees will learn how to define college readiness standards, map existing practices to those domains, and use the framework to strengthen assessment, reporting, and continuous improvement. Participants will leave with a customizable model to adapt within their own Upward Bound programs.

More Than Background: Support Staff as Drivers of TRIO Student Success

G. Williamson
Academic Specialist and Instructor, Classic Upward Bound
Ca’Vette Buford
Program Coordinator, TRIO SSS at Virginia State University
Contractual, part-time, and administrative support staff are often the first point of contact and a steady presence, helping TRIO students navigate academic, financial, and personal challenges. Yet their role is frequently undervalued in program design, staffing decisions, and student success planning. This session highlights how administrative professionals, advisors, tutors, peer mentors, and program coordinators directly influence persistence, engagement, and completion outcomes for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students.
Participants will explore how intentional hiring, training, and integration of support staff can strengthen TRIO services, improve student experiences, and advance equity goals. Through practical examples and discussion, attendees will gain strategies for building collaborative teams that center on student needs and maximize program impact.