It was in high school that Kyla Smith discovered her passion for helping others.

While attending South Shore High School, she enrolled in the Start College Now program through Northwood Technical College – a decision that would ultimately shape her future.

“I took an intro psych course through Northwood Tech, and I loved it,” said Smith. “I just knew I wanted to study psychology. I really only applied to a few places in the area because I wanted to stay close to home, and UW-Superior had the best psych program. I was like, ‘OK, that’s it. I’m going there.’”

Smith, a native of Cornucopia, Wisconsin, graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Superior on Saturday, May 17, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a double minor in behavioral neuroscience and art. Her time on campus was marked by deep involvement, strong mentorship and a transformative experience with the TRIO program.

“I started seriously considering graduate school – which I hadn’t thought much about before – and my TRIO advisor was so encouraging,” said Smith. “She immediately started giving me all the resources I needed, like financial literacy workshops, to help me figure out how to get there.”

The Impact of TRIO

TRIO programs are federally funded outreach and student services initiatives aimed at supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their pursuit of higher education. At UW-Superior, TRIO plays a key role in fostering student success.

The first TRIO program, Upward Bound, was launched through the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 as part of the War on Poverty. It was followed by Talent Search in 1965 and Student Support Services in 1968. The term “TRIO” was later coined to collectively describe these programs. In 1986, the McNair Scholars Program was added in honor of Ronald McNair, a physicist and astronaut who died in the Challenger explosion. It supports undergraduates in preparing for doctoral studies through research and academic development opportunities.

Smith first heard about TRIO during her freshman-year Weekend of Welcome orientation, but initially dismissed it.

“I didn’t know what it was or that I even qualified to join,” she said. “I thought it was like a tutoring service, and I’ve never used tutoring – I usually just teach myself if I need extra help. I didn’t think TRIO was something that applied to me.”

That changed during her junior year when she switched to a new program advisor, who encouraged her to take another look.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s a whole set of resources here and so many experiences,’” Smith said. “That’s when I got really excited that it was an option – but I wish I’d known about it sooner.”

Through TRIO, Smith was able to connect with students outside her major and attend cultural events like plays and ballets.

“I think TRIO really helped with my sense of belonging here and made these last couple of years easier overall,” she said. “First of all – join. If you have questions about your career, graduate school, or even getting your first apartment, your TRIO advisor will help. They’re there for anything you need, and they take you on amazing trips. I got to go to Colorado because of them. It’s free, and you get so much out of it. I don’t see any reason why you wouldn’t want to join.”