- Testimonial letter from nominator
- One professional letter of reference
- Personal statement from nominee
-Nominee's cv/resume
- Electronic photo of nominee
Before you complete your nomination, included below are examples of past National TRIO Achievers. It is recommended to use these profiles as a guide to select your nomination.
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Antoinette Danvers
UPWARD BOUND, BRONX COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Attending Physician, Montefiore Medical Center
"...At 13, I became an immigrant, adjusting to the new urban environment of the Bronx. My first year challenged my spirit of perseverance. The first school I entered determined that I belonged in a classroom for students with behavioral and learning challenges--but not teachers that were trained to manage those challenges. Most days, we learned nothing. I continued to do my best work under the circumstances and excelled at the state standardized exams. Some administrators at my school began to take some interest in me and introduced me to a Math and Science program that was run by the same team as the Upward Bound program. I have no doubt that participating in the Upward Bound program helped shape my understanding and helped me navigate the college process successfully.
Today, I work as an Obstetrician and Gynecologist, specializing in Complex Family Planning at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. During my OB/GYN residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, the women we cared for were mostly poor, minority women who also experienced significant morbidity from their pregnancies. The impact of having choice over their futures was crucial. I knew then that I wanted to devote my career to family planning. I realized that the impact I wanted to make was not only being a provider; I wanted to influence how women are able to access services..."
Albert Leon Venegas
MCNAIR, ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY
Associate Scientist II, AstraZeneca
"As a child, I had absolute confidence that I was going to accomplish my goal of becoming a doctor. Coming from a low-income, single-parent household, I was often advised to think of contingency plans because “kids like me do not usually do that kind of stuff.” With the goal of becoming a physician in mind, I majored in Biological Sciences at St. Edward’s University. It was during volunteer experience my freshman year I learned that the medical field was not for me. I found myself directionless and was encouraged by my advisor to look into the McNair Scholars Program. During my two years as a scholar, I was involved in research, and workshops, developed tools that would serve me later in my career, but the most important lesson that I learned was perseverance.
After finishing my thesis work, I joined the Antibody Development and Protein Engineering (ADPE) department at AstraZeneca. I am in the Immune Replica team where we are focused on developing a platform to generate a new drug to isolate antibody candidates against novel coronavirus within ten days during a pandemic. I firmly believe that I would not be in my position without the resources and support from the McNair Scholars Program."
Nikema Williams
TALENT SEARCH, UPWARD BOUND, STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AND MCNAIR AT
TALLADEGA COLLEGE - U.S. House Representative for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District
"...Williams began a career in activism as the political director of Young Democrats of Georgia and later joined the southeast chapter of Planned Parenthood, where she rose to vice president of public policy and promoted reproductive health care throughout Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi from 2007 to 2018. She is a longtime Democratic party organizer who served as a super delegate for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 and for Hillary Clinton in 2016; Williams was the first Black woman Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia and a member of the Executive and Resolution Committees of the Democratic National Committee, where she helped energize grassroots Democratic support and increase party representation in the state legislature. Williams was elected to the Georgia Senate in 2017 to represent the 39th District, where she prioritized women’s rights, health care, and education; sponsored legislation to provide Medicaid coverage to pregnant women for 12 months; eliminated the statute of limitations for rape, and improved access to higher education.
Congresswoman Williams has a history of advancing the issues that matter to Georgians and underserved people across the country, regardless of their bank account or ZIP code. She has a strong track record of getting into that “Good Trouble” that the late Congressman John Lewis spoke about. She was chosen to succeed him in representing the 5th Congressional District of Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives following his death and currently holds this seat in Congress. Elected as the Freshman Class President of the 117th Congress, she recently helped shephard the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act through the House of Representatives."
Rabih Najjar
UPWARD BOUND AT MONTANA TECH AND STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES AT MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Senior Director of Strategic Projects, Hertz Corporation
"Rabih Najjar leads the operational initiatives for the Hertz Corporation and is responsible for the continued innovation, performance, and growth of Hertz and its brands. With a small town mindset in a large corporate environment, Rabih is known for bringing together all levels of an organization to share a common vision to maximize operational excellence.
When he arrived at Montana State University he quickly surrounded himself with help. He knew his success could not be left to chance. He enrolled in the TRIO Student Support Services program and took advantage of its tutoring and other services. Living in the dorms summer after summer in Upward Bound prepared him for employment as a resident advisor at MSU, which is how he paid his way through, ultimately earning a BS in Business Management."