For 30 years, Project Achieve has helped Mavericks overcome obstacles to achieve their dream of a college degree from UNO.
by GREG KOZOL
College students arrive on campus with similar dreams of earning a degree and building a better future through higher education.
But those students don’t share similar backgrounds. Some first-generation college students, along with low-income students and those with disabilities, face significant obstacles on the road to collecting that coveted college diploma.
Racquel Henderson, a first-generation student from a low-income background, remembers her first time walking on UNO’s campus in 2010.
“It was intimidating,” she said. “I didn’t know anybody.”
Henderson might have felt like she was alone, but she wasn’t. TRIO Project Achieve provided the support and direction that helped her navigate the complexities of higher education.
“They have a bigger learning curve,” said Cristina Lamas, director of Project Achieve at UNO. “That’s why it’s important for us to reach out to these students and be hands-on with them. It could be something as simple as not knowing how to manage your time or not knowing how to organize yourself and get ready for the rigor.”
For 30 years, Project Achieve has served qualifying first-generation students, students who meet income guidelines and students with disabilities. The program flies under the radar but has quietly supported the academic success of hundreds of UNO students who came from low-income backgrounds or dreamed of being the first in their families to attain a college degree.
Project Achieve serves 185 students each year.
“I feel like we choose the students who need the program the most,” said Lamas, who became Project Achieve’s director in 2022. “My goal is to make sure we reach as many students as possible.”
Esau Betancourt encountered Project Achieve when he enrolled at UNO in 2012. He qualified for the program as a first-generation college students who also met the income guidelines.
“One of the best parts of the program is it made you feel like you weren’t completely directionless,” he said. “College is a new experience for everybody, whether you’re first generation or not. You want to have that mentorship.”
Project Achieve receives funding through the U.S. Department of Education’s TRIO program. Project Achieve’s mission aligns with the TRIO program’s goal of reducing barriers for students who are traditionally underserved in higher education. The income threshold for Project Achieve is 150% of the federal poverty level.
At UNO, the program doesn’t provide direct scholarships but links students with resources for financial assistance. A private donor funds achievement scholarships for Project Achieve program participants. Students with disabilities are put in contact with UNO’s Accessibility Services Center.
Lamas said Project Achieve provides advice on study skills and tips on conducting research. The program connects students with campus resources for tutoring in math, English and other courses. At times, she said, Project Achieve simply reminds students that it’s OK to ask for help or set up an appointment with a professor.
“It’s kind of the reason I’m here,” Lamas said. “I want to help them. That academic support is huge for them.”
The numbers point to the program’s success. Project Achieve’s annual report shows that 96% of participants are in good academic standing (a GPA of 2.0 or higher), 87% persist from one academic year to the next and 64% graduate within six years. All of those measures exceed Department of Education requirements needed to maintain program funding.
Lamas said Project Achieve’s real impact comes with the sense of community that the program builds on campus.
Students are able to bond with others who come from similar economic or social backgrounds.
“What we try to do is have every student feel like they can belong here,” said Lamas, who received a BA in psychology and a minor in Spanish from UNO in 1998. “They feel like they have found a safe space, a place where they feel welcomed. I really want them to feel like they could come at any time and get the help that they need.”
Betancourt, who earned a degree in Latin American studies and is now a social media and influence professional for IBM in Austin, Texas, remembers a study table where Project Achieve students could meet in between classes and discuss challenges they faced.
“Everybody just kind of got together to ask questions, work on things together and share some of the same grievances,” he said. “That was fairly important.”
Project Achieve also builds a sense of connection with the wider community in Omaha. The program has established partnerships with numerous nonprofits and charities, including Habitat for Humanity. Project Achieve students have participated in at least four Habitat construction projects a year since 2014.
Both current students and graduates of Project Achieve have shown a remarkable resilience to stay on track and reach their goal of graduating from college.
Paw Thlay Wah, a senior majoring in public health at UNO, grew up in a refugee camp in Thailand and came to the United States at the age of 10. She was accepted into Project Achieve and believes the program will help her achieve her ultimate goal of attending medical school and becoming a doctor.
“When I was in the refugee camp, I felt like I was a bird in a cage,” said Wah, a first-generation college student. “When I came to the U.S., I felt like I could do anything. Now that I’m in the U.S., I just have to put my mind to it. In the refugee camp, we didn’t have the opportunity.”
Henderson overcame her own challenges to receive bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and psychology and a master’s in criminal justice and the disadvantaged community. She was a non-traditional student who had spent time in prison, where she came to appreciate the importance of an education.
“I lost so much as a result of one decision,” she said. “Education is the one thing that no one can take from you.”
Today, Henderson is an adjunct criminal justice instructor at UNO and works as director of programs at EPIC for Girls, an organization that seeks to address inequities in sports for young women of color. “I would not be here today if it was not for Project Achieve,” she said. “There are so many components.”
For Lamas, the reward comes when she sees a Project Achieve student walk from the stage at graduation, diploma in hand.
“They’ve overcome all these things they’ve experienced in their lives and they’ve translated it into working hard in college,” Lamas said.
