TRIO Achiever Award

The TRIO Achiever candidate must:

1. The TRIO Achiever candidate must be a former TRIO Project participant who was enrolled in and successfully completed a TRIO program in the ASPIRE region.
2. The TRIO Achiever candidate must have enrolled in and successfully completed a post-secondary program of study resulting in a baccalaureate or terminal degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
3. The TRIO Achiever candidate must be a person of high stature within his/her profession or has received recognition for outstanding academic achievement.
4. The TRIO Achiever candidate must currently be employed above the entry level designation for his/her profession or enrolled in a program for a degree above the baccalaureate degree.
5. The TRIO Achiever candidate must have made significant civic, community, or professional contributions.
6. Participation in the TRIO project must have had a significant impact upon the candidate in obtaining his/her educational and/or professional objectives (as acknowledged by the participant).

TRIO Achievers who are selected should be prepared to present a five minute address to the ASPIRE membership during the TRIO Achievers’ Luncheon at the 2023 conference in Park City, UT.

Teri Jo Slack

When I was growing up, my family struggled while living in poverty. When I had children of my own, I knew that I wanted something different for them. I was a troubled teenager and a high school dropout until I got pregnant with my first child. I finished high school as a teen mom, and I struggled to provide a life for my son—and later two more children. I wasn’t sure how to obtain a better life, but I knew I had to do something remarkable. I decided to continue my education when I was 27 years old, and a mother of three. I was driven by the desire to give them a better life, and along the way I found a better life for myself.

I was the first person in my family to attend college, and I had no idea how transformative it would be for me. The way that I saw the world begin to change and in turn, the way the world saw me began to change as well. I was empowered by my education, and I was filled with the desire to uplift those around me and have a positive impact on society with my work.

As a doctoral researcher, I worked to develop novel therapeutics targeting cancer and infectious disease. I became passionate about translational biomedical research and taking innovative ideas from the lab and moving them out into the world to benefit society. I earned a master’s degree in business so to gain the tools to navigate the business world and help bring innovative new research from the lab bench into people’s lives.

Today, my career is focused on driving change through scientific endeavors that will leave a lasting positive impact on society. I cofounded StarBio, a company that is developing a rapid test to improve the outcomes of patients suffering from ischemic stroke. In my current role as Business Development Manager at Slingshot Biosciences, I am working with my team to bring innovative technology into the market that will make medical testing more accessible. We seek to lower the barriers to developing new treatments and diagnostics— making them more affordable and accessible. We aim to replace biological cells in medical and therapeutic industries that have been held back by the limitations of bio-based reagents. In doing so, our vision is to simplify workflows in medical testing, remove cost barriers, and enable greater access to all patients—especially in underserved and developing countries.

As a first-generation college student, the support that I received from TRIO Student Support Services gave me the tools and resources that I needed to succeed. I’m so grateful because without TRIO support, I would not be where I am today.  TRIO has really been the foundation of my success and I am forever grateful.

Becky Carlson

When I was growing up, my family struggled while living in poverty. When I had children of my own, I knew that I wanted something different for them. I was a troubled teenager and a high school dropout until I got pregnant with my first child. I finished high school as a teen mom, and I struggled to provide a life for my son—and later two more children. I wasn’t sure how to obtain a better life, but I knew I had to do something remarkable. I decided to continue my education when I was 27 years old, and a mother of three. I was driven by the desire to give them a better life, and along the way I found a better life for myself.

I was the first person in my family to attend college, and I had no idea how transformative it would be for me. The way that I saw the world begin to change and in turn, the way the world saw me began to change as well. I was empowered by my education, and I was filled with the desire to uplift those around me and have a positive impact on society with my work.

As a doctoral researcher, I worked to develop novel therapeutics targeting cancer and infectious disease. I became passionate about translational biomedical research and taking innovative ideas from the lab and moving them out into the world to benefit society. I earned a master’s degree in business so to gain the tools to navigate the business world and help bring innovative new research from the lab bench into people’s lives.

Today, my career is focused on driving change through scientific endeavors that will leave a lasting positive impact on society. I cofounded StarBio, a company that is developing a rapid test to improve the outcomes of patients suffering from ischemic stroke. In my current role as Business Development Manager at Slingshot Biosciences, I am working with my team to bring innovative technology into the market that will make medical testing more accessible. We seek to lower the barriers to developing new treatments and diagnostics— making them more affordable and accessible. We aim to replace biological cells in medical and therapeutic industries that have been held back by the limitations of bio-based reagents. In doing so, our vision is to simplify workflows in medical testing, remove cost barriers, and enable greater access to all patients—especially in underserved and developing countries.

As a first-generation college student, the support that I received from TRIO Student Support Services gave me the tools and resources that I needed to succeed. I’m so grateful because without TRIO support, I would not be where I am today.  TRIO has really been the foundation of my success and I am forever grateful.

Carlton Underwood

Dr. Carlton Underwood was born in Lander, Wyoming and was raised on the Wind River Indian Reservation. He grew up and has lived in Ethete, Wyoming for most of his life. He is a member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe. After graduating from Wyoming Indian High School in 1994, Carlton began his higher education at Central Wyoming College (CWC) in Riverton, Wyoming. It was here that he was introduced to the TRIO programs. He worked as a tutor with Student Support Services for the English department assisting fellow students in the proper usage of grammar and structure of various styles of English paper assignments. Carlton graduated from CWC in 1997 with his Associates of Science degree in accounting.

Dr. Underwood continued his studies at the University of Wyoming (UW) in Laramie where he graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree also in accounting. Carlton was accepted into the McNair Scholars Program at UW for the summer of 1998. It was in this program that he was introduced to doctoral studies where he was assigned a faculty mentor who guided his eight week research project. At the end of the eight week program, Carlton traveled with his fellow McNair Scholars to Penn State University where he presented his research to an audience that included accounting faculty members from around the country.

After graduating from UW, Carlton worked in various accounting and leadership capacities for the Northern Arapaho Tribe including serving on the Northern Arapaho Business Council as Co-Chair of the Tribe. Dr. Underwood then left to pursue his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee graduating in 2010. He then returned to the Northern Arapaho Tribe where he worked in several leadership roles including Executive Director of Social Services, Tribal Health Director, Chief Healthcare Compliance Officer, and Chief Executive Officer.

Dr. Underwood started the pursuit of his doctorate degree in 2018 when he began his online doctoral studies in the Organizational Change and Leadership program with the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California. Carlton completed his studies in May 2022 when he graduated with his Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Change and Leadership. He now works as the Administrative and Finance Officer for Akiptan, Inc., which is a Native American community development financial institution (CDFI) that assists Native American agriculture producers with lending products to help grow their crops and/or stock.

Carlton attributes his success to two factors that influenced his efforts as an undergraduate. First, his family was always, and still are, his number one supporters in all of this endeavors. Second, and more influential, was his fortunate involvement with the TRIO programs in which he participated, especially the McNair Scholars program. Carlton feels very strongly that McNair Scholars taught him not only the factors involved in the entire dissertation process, but it also prepared him on how to succeed at such a high level of education. This was evident in the positive feedback that he received from his doctoral studies professors and his dissertation committee chair and members. Carlton has no doubt that the skills provided to him while being a McNair Scholar carried over into the classes, assignments, and the dissertation writing of his doctoral studies.

On a side note, Dr. Underwood serves on two Board of Trustees; Fremont County School District #14 (Wyoming Indian Schools) and Central Wyoming College. It’s through his Trustee role that Carlton is able to advocate for the TRIO programs at the federal level when he travels to Washington, DC to visit with the two state Senators and the House Representative. Dr. Underwood enjoys telling his story and how TRIO has contributed to his overall success. He emphasizes that with their support the state’s federal delegation could help change a person’s life for the better and contribute to the greater good of society.

In closing, Dr. Underwood has the highest of gratitude for the TRIO programs. Carlton acknowledges that without these programs his success would not be as profound. TRIO gave Dr. Underwood the opportunity and support to reach for his goals and the confidence to accomplish them. Carlton will always be a supporter of TRIO and encourages others to apply to these very programs to help change their lives for the better.