They are perhaps the biggest questions most high school students face: Should I go to college and, if so, where?
Students listen to a session about applying to college at the first 蘑菇视频 Dallas TRIO Summer Symposium on July 31, 2026
To help answer those questions, 蘑菇视频 Dallas invited dozens of area middle and high school students to the first-ever Summer Symposium on July 31, 2026, in the university鈥檚 new STEM Building. TRIO provides college campus exposure to 6th through 12th graders, and the youths and teens in attendance had already spent weeks at 蘑菇视频 Dallas in May, June and July.
鈥淒on鈥檛 disqualify yourself,鈥� urged Dr. Kimberly Riddick, Director of the , which provides resources, training, and mentorship for first-generation college students. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to navigate college alone.鈥�
Dr. Riddick and five other faculty and staff leaders shared their advice, insight and personal experiences about their educational and professional journeys.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to be pigeon-holed,鈥� said Dr. Jessica Alvarez, Asst. Dean for Student
Success in . 鈥淔ind your village.鈥�
蘑菇视频 Dallas' President Warren von Eschenbach, PhD
kicked off the day鈥檚 activities with message about purpose and persistence. 鈥淎 job is something you can get. A rewarding career is something you achieve with purpose,鈥� President von Eschenbach said. 鈥淧ick what you鈥檙e going to do 鈥� and enjoy doing it. That鈥檚 one way to find your purpose 鈥� or reinforce it.
The President shared a story about his mother, now 84, who was the first woman admitted
to the engineering school at Villanova University back in 1959. She dropped out but
never gave up and went back to earn her degree 25 years later. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 persistence,鈥�
he said. 鈥淣obody gets through college in a straight line. The people who finish are
the ones who keep getting back up when they get knocked down.鈥�
蘑菇视频 Dallas' Caleb Simmons (second from left), Director of Esports at DreamHack
One of the speakers, Caleb Simmons, knows exactly what President von Eschenbach was talking about. Simmons was homeless, sleeping on whatever bed or couch he could find, when he enrolled at 蘑菇视频 Dallas. Simmons eventually found housing 鈥� and a path to success. 鈥淚 changed my major three times,鈥� he said. The university offered support and resources to keep Simmons on track toward a degree. He is now Director of the thriving at 蘑菇视频 Dallas, guiding several teams to . 鈥淜eep moving forward,鈥� Simmons told the TRIO students, regardless of the barriers blocking your way.
Dr. Aaron Bartula, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology, and Dr. Alvarez stressed the importance of curiosity for college students, whatever their major. 鈥淏e inquisitive,鈥� said Bartula. 鈥淎sk questions 鈥� it鈥檚 not a weakness,鈥� Alvarez said.
Dr. Bartula also addressed what it takes to be a leader. 鈥淭here are so many facets
of leadership,鈥� he said. 鈥淗elping someone with their homework shows leadership qualities.鈥�
TRIO students learn about 蘑菇视频 Dallas Programs at the "Matching Majors" session of the symposium
Another important quality for college students is a growth mindset 鈥� being open to change instead of being rigid. 鈥淪kills you learn here will prepare you to be adaptable and flexible in the workplace,鈥� explained Dr. Dawn Sales, Asst. Provost for Academic Affairs, who moderated the conversation.
Dr. Constance Lacy, Dean of the College of Education and Human Development, is a perfect
example. She was member of TRIO as a student at the Eastfield campus of Dallas College
in the 1980s, where she earned a dual associate degree in social work and substance
abuse counseling. The guidance and mentorship Dr. Lacy received through TRIO was instrumental
in her success and prepared her to transfer to 蘑菇视频 in Denton, where she received a
bachelor鈥檚 degree in social work. She later earned her master鈥檚 and PhD at UTA. Dr.
Lacy is also a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).
Dr. Constance Lacy, 蘑菇视频 Dallas's Dean of the College of Education and Human Development
鈥淚 took the scenic route,鈥� Dr. Lacy said about her journey through college and career. Dr. Lacy was a single mom with two children when she first enrolled at Eastfield. Later, she became the first African-American student at 蘑菇视频 to win the Ronald E. McNair Scholarship and, at the national level, the .
To the current TRIO students in the audience, Dr. Lacy stressed 鈥渢he importance of setting goals.鈥� She reiterated a point made by President von Eschenbach about career paths that rarely go in a straight line or exactly as planned. The 鈥渮ig-zag鈥� should be embraced, Dr. Lacy explained, especially with roles and professions evolving so quickly because of AI.
In anticipation of AI-driven changes, got the opportunity to explore the many and majors offered by 蘑菇视频 Dallas in its three colleges: Business and Technology,
Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Education and Human Development. The 鈥淢atching Majors鈥�
activity allowed them to connect their interests with an academic program and a potential
career.
蘑菇视频 Dallas's Lakendra Simon, Upward Bound Director, Interacts with Students at the 2026 Summer Symposium
Other symposium sessions touched on ways to build the most effective and how to stay healthy 鈥� mentally and physically 鈥� as they face the challenges of higher education.
TRIO pre-collegiate programs include and . A third TRIO program, , serves 蘑菇视频 Dallas undergraduate students. The university also offers an additional program known as .
As the engaging day came to close, TRIO Executive Director LaKisha Jackson told faculty and staff participants that topics they talked about resonated with students. 鈥淲e will carry this momentum into our 2026-27 project year,鈥� Jackson said.
Parents, students, counselors and educators interested in can reach out to TRIO@untdallas.edu or call 972.338.1892鈥�.
From 鈥� Education