The federally funded Trio programs help low-income and first-generation students attend and graduate from college. The Trio celebration, to be held in Corbett Center Student Union on Friday, Feb. 28, and Saturday, March 1, will include activities, student workshops and a scholarship awards ceremony.

Arroyos-Jurado received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from New Mexico State in 1997 and her Ed.S. and Ph.D. in school psychology from the University of Iowa in 2002.

As an undergraduate student at New Mexico State, she was a McNair scholar. The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, one of the Trio programs, gave her the opportunity to work on and present research with her mentor Enedina Garcia-Vazquez, associate professor of counseling and educational psychology.

The program also helped her prepare for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and provided her with opportunities to visit graduate programs across the country to choose the best program for her.

Arroyos-Jurado, who is from Deming, N.M., is the first McNair graduate to return to New Mexico State as a faculty member.

“We are very proud to have her back on campus,” said Sue Brown, director of the Center for Learning Assistance.

Arroyos-Jurado said the environment and supportive nature of the people at New Mexico State made her want to teach there after she earned her doctorate.

“It’s a great university,” she said. “I wanted to give back to the university since I had such wonderful experiences here.”

Arroyos-Jurado said she remembers what it was like to be a student and tries to give her students the best learning experiences possible.

“I try to incorporate my own experience into my teaching,” she said.

Of the seven federal Trio programs, New Mexico State has three – the McNair Program, Upward Bound and Student Support Services.

The McNair Program works to help students to prepare for graduate studies by offering them research opportunities and faculty mentors. Upward Bound helps middle and high school students prepare for college through instruction on campus after school, Saturdays and during the summer. Student Support Services helps students stay in college until they earn their degrees by offering free tutoring, mentoring, financial assistance and cultural activities.

For more information on the Trio celebration, contact Margaret Mendoza, academic coordinator for the McNair Program, at (505) 646-7799.

Photo is available at http://ucommphoto.nmsu.edu/newsphoto/arroyos_elsa.jpg.
CUTLINE:  Elsa Arroyos-Jurado, assistant professor of counseling and educational psychology at New Mexico State University, will be the keynote speaker for the New Mexico/West Texas National Trio Day Celebration luncheon at noon Saturday, March 1. (NMSU photo by Darren Phillips)

Rocio Rueda
Feb. 20, 2003

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