About the Office for Access & Opportunity

What We Do

In the Office for Access & Opportunity (A&O), we are committed to providing an evidence-based, people-focused, and ethical educational environment. A&O plays a critical role by delivering early outreach, advocacy and comprehensive support services to students who will be the first in their families to attend college, come from low-income backgrounds or who need additional support and mentoring. Addressing a wide range of needs with a synergistic approach to maximize impact, our current portfolio is comprised of: TRIO Student Support Services, TRIO Student Support Services-Disability, three TRIO Upward Bound Programs, First-Gen Student Center, First-Gen Abroad, College Assistance Migrant Program, Spokane MESA, and the Team Mentoring Program for students in STEM and pre-health.

Our Core Values

Educational Access and Student Success

We believe all students, regardless of their backgrounds and circumstances, should have access to educational opportunities to achieve success.

Advancing Excellence

We are here to support students on their journey to develop their skills and strengths, helping them remove barriers to maximizing their potential.

Innovation and Collaboration

We foster a culture of assessment and work collaboratively with students, faculty, campus and community partners, to provide support and resources that meet students’ needs as they prepare to solve societal challenges in their professional careers. 

Belonging and Community

We strive to create a sense of belonging, fostering a respectful, empathic, and community-based environment that values wide-ranging perspectives and lived experiences.

Structure

The Office for Access and Opportunity (A&O) is part of the Division of Student Affairs at Washington State University.

To meet the mission of The Office for Access and Opportunity our approach is to

• Build key partnerships to increase the number of students from underrepresented backgrounds that successfully transition and graduate from WSU.
• To serve as a critical advocate for student access and success in higher education.
• Oversee the delivery of didactic services (such as instruction and tutoring) and experiential services (such as cultural events and workshops) that give students the academic skills, self-confidence, and career guidance to continue in and successfully complete college.
• Provide professional development opportunities for staff in order to provide relevant and effective services.
• Procure external grant funding to continue to enhance the delivery of services provided to students and to enrich the educational experience of underrepresented student at WSU.