School comes first. It is a phrase we often hear from our parents and teachers from a young age, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing your focus on schoolwork. Even in graduate school, while pursuing my Ph.D., my advisor alludes to this concept in our sometimes-heated one-on-one meetings discussing my performance as a doctoral student. [...]
It is a pleasure to join the Trellis Foundation as Program Officer. As an immigrant and first-generation college graduate, increasing higher education attainment for under-resourced communities is a deeply personal mission. My parents, who unfortunately had to pause their higher education journey, instilled in me the importance of a college degree from a young [...]
It is an honor to join the high-functioning team of Trellis Foundation as Chief of Staff. As a fourth-generation Mexican-American from a family of hard-working migrant farm and ranch workers and a first-generation college graduate, I’ve personally been a beneficiary of education-based opportunities, and I’ve dedicated my career to supporting funders who are committed [...]
As a higher education program officer without a background in the criminal justice or justice reform spaces, I have faced a steep learning curve as the Trellis Foundation expands our work in prison education programs and re-entry education supports. I imagine you may share my need for guidance. Even if your foundation doesn’t focus [...]
Texas has a young and diverse population of working-age adults, but are we ready for the jobs of tomorrow? Over the past few years, we’ve seen how quickly the job market can evolve. Expanding opportunities for Texans to update and build their skills is critical to filling employer demand for good jobs that pay [...]
W.E.B Du Bois described education as the gatekeeper of access because he believed education was the key to opportunities and socioeconomic mobility. Lack of education perpetuates poverty, particularly for marginalized communities facing systemic disenfranchisement and limited economic mobility. I understood this concept at 12 years old when I committed to go to college and [...]
At Trellis Foundation, supporting public policy change is crucial to our mission of helping low-income students and students of color succeed in postsecondary education. That's why our funding strategy includes breaking down the systemic barriers faced by students from communities facing historic and persistent barriers to higher education. One way we do this is [...]
It is a pleasure to join the Trellis Foundation team as Grants and Operations Manager. The Foundation’s work investing in postsecondary education strongly impacts educational institutions and our community. Knowing that my contributions can lead to lasting change and improved educational outcomes is a source of immense pride and satisfaction. The professional journey that [...]
Download this guide as a PDF (full citations) The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and exacerbated the need for mental health services on college campuses. Data show an increase in students reporting severe psychological distress and nearly a 7,000% increase in virtual college counseling sessions from March 2020 to March 2021. Student mental health [...]
As my time as a Graduate Fellow ends, the staff asked me to reflect on my experience at Trellis Foundation in this exit interview post. The Trellis Foundation fellowship is a great chance to gain practical experience and learn about the interactions and intersections between nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. What drew you to Trellis [...]
