In this episode of The Daily Impact, host and ISU Dean of Students Matt Daily talks with Mandy Peace, a TRIO program staff member at Idaho State University, about the educational journey that shaped her career in student support.
Mandy shares her own story of growing up in Pocatello in a family with no history of higher education, and how a TRIO Upward Bound summer program at age 14 gave her the "target" she needed to graduate high school early and eventually build a career dedicated to helping other first-generation students find the same direction. She and Matt discuss:
- What makes TRIO different from other campus resources, not just connecting students to advisors and tutoring, but building genuine belonging and peer community (including monthly community meals for students).
- Why first-generation students in Idaho, a state with deep roots in agriculture, military service, and trade work, can feel like pursuing college means "leaving your people behind" and why higher education actually carries families forward rather than erasing where students come from.
- Advice for students and families navigating the transition to college: ask for help often, find a mentor who knows your name and your story, and don't let the pursuit of perfection stop you from making progress.
- Mandy's personal mission statement: to be the person she needed at 16 someone who sees a student's potential and walks the path with them.
