MESA, Arizona -- Nov. 7, 2024 -- In recognition of her dedication and support of student success and empowerment, Lydia Perez, Ph.D., program manager for TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO) at Mesa Community College, has been honored with the Walter O. Mason Award by the national Council for Opportunity in Education (COE).

Presented to extraordinary individuals making outstanding contributions to college opportunity programs and demonstrating unwavering pursuit of educational equity for students in the TRIO program, the award is the highest honor given by the COE.

TRIO is a federally funded college persistence and retention program serving low-income, first-generation college students and students with disabilities from middle school through post baccalaureate programs.

“My selection as a recipient of the Walter O. Mason Award validates for me that I have worked in TRIO’s best interest and have been a worthwhile contributor to TRIO’s social justice movement at MCC,” said Perez. “For all TRIO has given to me, this award can help me rest assured that I have done TRIO proud and can continue my efforts to represent TRIO positively in a similar fashion.”

Perez speaks from experience. She was involved in the TRIO Upward Bound (UB) program at Arizona State University (ASU) as a young student. During the two years she was in the program, she attended weekly campus Saturday sessions during the school year focusing on getting her academics up to par to ensure her acceptance to her preferred university. And for two summers, Perez spent five weeks on campus taking college prep courses and experiencing campus life in a residence hall.

“These programs demonstrated to me that I could succeed at ASU, handle the workload and navigate the campus,” she explained. “This realization was huge to me!” Perez graduated from ASU with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1995, and went to work for ASU’s UB program first as a retention and tracking specialist, eventually becoming program director.

Joining MCC in 2016, Perez has since distinguished herself overseeing the two TRIO programs at the college.

“TRIO programs at MCC have the potential to change the landscape of a college campus by fostering and nurturing students so that they thrive in and out of the classroom. They were created with the foresight to realize that student success is so much more than academic preparation and performance” she explained, adding that TRIO fosters a healthy sense of self-worth and self-efficacy that only enhances a student's potential for academic and professional success.

“When you expect all students to give their best, embrace their potential and pair that belief with solid effort, most students will realize all the goals they have set for themselves. That is the TRIO Way!”

Perez went on to earn a master’s degree in community counseling in 2009 from University of Phoenix and a doctorate in managing organizational systems from Saybrook University in California where she was honored with the Excellence in Leadership and Service Award in 2022.

A past recipient of the Steve Holeman Award from the Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel, for which she has served on the board of directors for more than 20 years, Perez believes that the TRIO experience transcends academic skill building and exposure to the post secondary environment.

“TRIO changed how I viewed myself and enabled me to embrace my potential to succeed in college and later on in my professional career. It also led to my lifelong passion for educational equity and enhanced my sense of personal fulfillment. I am not certain I could find a similar sense of satisfaction in any other professional field.”

To learn more about TRIO at MCC or to apply to its programs, visit the TRIO webpage on the MCC website.

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Media Contact: Julie Ruiz, julie.ruiz@mesacc.edu, 480-461-7283

Mesa Community College is nationally recognized for university transfer, career and technical programs, civic engagement, service-learning and innovative approaches to education. Host to more than 24,400 students annually, MCC offers degree and certificate programs at its two campuses and additional locations. On average MCC students provide 23,000 hours of community service annually. For more than 50 years, the college has served as a resource for education, workforce development and lifelong learning. MCC is transforming student success through Guided Pathways with Integrated Support Services and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. MCC is a Hispanic Serving Institution. Nearly 50% of MCC students are the first in their families to attend college. MCC has the largest indigenous student population of all the Maricopa Community Colleges. The American Indian Institute serves students from 22 federally recognized Arizona tribes and out-of-state tribes. Our diverse student body includes hundreds of international students from around the world. Award-winning faculty are dedicated to student success, providing the education and training that empowers MCC students to attain their goals. Located in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, on the traditional territories of the O'odham, Piipaash and Yavapai Peoples, MCC is one of 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District. Visit mesacc.edu to learn more.

MCC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org.

The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. MCCCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, visit www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination.