Lyon College announced that it has recently promoted Dr. Branndii N. Peterson (pictured) to serve as the first executive director of TRIO. Peterson previously served as the APPLE Upward Bound director for the past year and a half. Peterson will now help recruit students and coordinate services for both TRIO programs and will report directly to the president’s office.
TRIO programs are federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Lyon College offers two: Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) and APPLE (Accelerated Program of Personalized Learning and Enrichment) Project Upward Bound. Both UBMS and APPLE even offer “bridge scholarships” that cover the cost of developmental classes students need to take during the summer to be ready for their freshman year of college, according to Lyon.
“Dr. Peterson has made such an impact on campus since joining us in January 2021,” said Lyon President Dr. Melissa Taverner. “Branndii has been an effective leader for the well-established APPLE program. As the executive director taking on UBMS as well, I am confident that she will support the exceptionally talented staff in both programs equally well.”
“TRIO programs are not only a benefit to our students, but to their parents as well,” said Peterson. “We can help them with questions like ‘How do I fill out financial aid?’ or ‘What will my child need when we drop them off?’. Our programs are almost a partnership where we’re able to fill in those gaps and help the students move onto the next phase of their lives.”
Peterson received her B.A. in history from the Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge. She received her master’s in healthcare administration from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and her M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix. She received her Ph.D. in urban higher education from Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss.
Prior to joining Lyon College, Peterson previously worked at Goodwill Industries of Arkansas. She started in the company’s re-entry program and was promoted six months later to the director of career services, where she oversaw 27 career/community resource centers across the state. She later transitioned to the business relations department and oversaw the creation of the company’s trade school. Peterson has also worked as the operations director for Tyler Studios and at Job Corps.
Image via Lyon College
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