Hopeful - Cassandra Puletapuai, TRIO McNair Staff at Colorado State University

TRIO Nation, we’re back! After a short hiatus, we’re returning to our roots: sharing the powerful stories that define our community. In this episode, we sit down with Cassandra Puletapuai, a TRIO McNair staff member at Colorado State University. Cassandra opens up about the hurdles and triumphs of her educational journey, her current pursuit of a PhD, and the "full circle" moment of becoming a mentor for the very program that fuels her passion. Tune in to hear how her background shaped her success and why she’s dedicated to lifting others as she climbs. Community Announcement Links: TRIO Nation: Your voice is working! While Congress is moving to protect TRIO funding for 2026, we must remain vigilant. Administrative shifts still threaten the stability of TRIO grants. Take action now: Call your Congressional representatives today. Thank them for their bipartisan support and urge them to ensure TRIO programs remain fully funded and operational without delay. Let them know…TRIO Works! Find your Congressional Representative NCCU 2026 TRIO Student Access and Success Conference A heartfelt thanks to our individual donors and Patrons on Patreon Dr. Jamie Motley Dr. Ryan Barone Dr. Jeff Nepute Angelica Vialpando Angelica Valdez Rosario Riley Eric LaMaster Jeff Kahlden Felicia Rivera Jaded Electronics A huge thanks to our corporate sponsors TRIOjoblist.com NOSOTROS Education Center (NEC) TheTRIOstore.com powered by Proforma Longsdale Publishing StudentAccess Cover Art and Voice Over Work Cover Art: Raul Perez Voice Over Ad for Longsdale Publishing and StudentAccess: Amelia Castaneda Voice Over Ad for NOSOTROS Education Center: Karla Sandoval   The Let’s Talk TRIO Podcast Team John Russell: Music Composer, Music Performer, Audio Engineer, and Post-Production Editor Amelia Castaneda: Script Supervisor, Marketing Manager, Social Manager, and Producer Juan M. Rivas: Executive Producer & Host   Follow us on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram   Visit the Let’s Talk TRIO Podcast Webpage