"Resilient" - Jackie Estrada Perez - TRIO McNair Participant (Univ. of Northern Colorado)

One last-minute decision can define an entire academic career. In this episode, we sit down with Jackie Estrada Perez, a University of Northern Colorado student who began her journey at Aims Community College. Jackie shares the story behind her pivotal choice to attend Aims and how the TRIO Student Support Services program there set her up for success. She offers invaluable insights into the transfer process from a community college to a four-year university and discusses her current work as a TRIO McNair Scholars Research participant through the Center for Human Enrichment (CHE) at UNC. Tune in to hear how Jackie is navigating a double major in Health Sciences and Human Services, with minors in Environmental Science and Psychology, and learn how supportive programs can make all the difference.   Community Announcement Links: As you may know, TRIO is under attack. The current administration argues that TRIO programs are unnecessary, claiming that college access for low-income, first-generation students is no longer hindered by economic and systemic barriers. We all know that is false, and that TRIO services still provide sorely needed opportunities to hundreds of thousands of students nationwide. Action is required in order to protect these vital services.  Please contact your members of Congress to let them know that you support TRIO, and follow @protecttrionow on Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest updates and information. 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