LAFAYETTE PARISH — Lafayette- Olivia Toutcheque always dreamed of going to college. As a first-generation student, that dream once felt distant—until she joined the TRIO Upward Bound program.
“I always had a dream to go to college,” Toutcheque said. “I’ve been here since my freshman year, sophomore year, and now my junior year—it’s almost three years now. My father, mother, and sister do not have college degrees. I would be the first."
The Upward Bound program, part of the federally funded TRIO programs, assists high school students from low-income families, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities in preparing for higher education. Students enrolled in the program receive free tutoring, ACT preparation, college counseling, summer enrichment classes on the University of Louisiana’s campus—and, perhaps most importantly, confidence in their future.
The TRIO program also includes other programs that cater to graduate students and veterans. The program first kicked off in 1964. Since then, according to UL TRIO programs, it has served six million students.
But now, that future is at risk.
Proposed cuts in President Trump’s 2026 fiscal budget could eliminate millions of dollars in funding for TRIO programs across the country. Nearly one million students rely on TRIO services each year.
According to Rebekah Dees, academic counselor for TRIO Student Support Services, there are now concerns about the program and if it will survive in the long run.
“The TRIO program is not a DEI program,” Dees said. “We serve students who are first-generation, low-income—meaning they qualify for a Pell Grant—students with disabilities, and veterans.”
Langston Williams, assistant program director for Upward Bound, says the proposed cuts are a direct blow to the lives and futures of students who depend on the program.
“That’s when we knew—we TRIO programs have a long fight ahead,” Williams said. “This is transformative, and we have to make sure we keep these services alive for our students.”
The program also offers internships, access to free college admission counselors, scholarship assistance, mentorship, and graduate and STEM programs.
For Olivia and her peers, the possibility of the program shutting down is devastating.
“I feel like this program has done so much for us,” she said. “Taking it away from people in less fortunate circumstances—it would take away so many opportunities, so many friendships, and so many things.”
One of those friends is Cornasha Frelot, who also found hope and a future through TRIO. She’s now working toward her dream of becoming a heart surgeon.
“When I got adopted, I didn’t see a future for myself,” Cornasha shared. “My biological mother was addicted to drugs. But now, I don’t have to settle for less. I can break generational curses and become a doctor.”
Thanks to Upward Bound, Cornasha has already made major strides.
“Before the ACT boot camps, I made a 17. Now, since attending them here, I scored a 29,” she said.
Frelot has also pocketed a few scholarships for her hard work.
Both students say they were never taught how to apply for financial aid or even how to navigate a college application—until TRIO stepped in.
“To have this shut down,” Cornasha said, “is to have our dreams shattered.”
Dees agrees. “We’re making sure this investment doesn’t go to waste—and that these students graduate.”
As criticism over the proposed budget cuts grows, the Executive Office of President Trump has released a statement defending the decision:
“TRIO and GEAR UP are a relic of the past when financial incentives were needed to motivate Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) to engage with low-income students and increase access. The lack of action by IHEs also meant that States and local school districts needed additional support to prepare low-income students for college. Today, the pendulum has swung and access to college is not the obstacle it was for students of limited means. IHEs should be using their own resources to engage with K–12 schools in their communities to recruit students, and then once those students are on campus, aid in their success through to graduation. A renewed focus on academics and scholastic accomplishment by IHEs, rather than engaging in woke ideology with Federal taxpayer subsidies, would be a welcome change for students and the future of the Nation.” While the White House argues that modern college access no longer requires federally funded outreach programs, students like Olivia and Cornasha say programs like TRIO are not just helpful—they’re essential.
To read more about Trio programs, you can click here
