Photo Gallery March 4, 2025

School of Education Welcomes the Annual WESTOP Student Leadership Conference

TRIO Participants from Across Northern California Gathered for a Day of Leadership Workshops and Community Building

Two teenagers pose with bags that say "TRIO WORKS."

A girl wearing a hijab looks at a bowl of gumballs.

A hand reaches into a yellow bowl full of stickers.

A boy looks down at a table covered with branded merchandise and a shiny yellow tablecloth.

Two girls look down at a table covered with branded merchandise and a shiny yellow tablecloth.

Chancellor Gary May poses with a student.

Two students look down at a phone they're holding, both laughing.

A girl holds up an event t-shirt that says "WESTOP NORCAL."

Two students hold up stress balls they've received from the event.

One of the event organizers stands on stage with her arm raised, speaking into a microphone.

Gary May stands at a podium, addressing an audience sitting in front of him.

Anne Jones stands at a podium, addressing an audience sitting in front of him.

Samuel Blanco III stands at a podium, addressing an audience sitting in front of him.

Samuel Blanco III stands on stage, addressing an audience sitting in front of him.

A piece of butcher paper with the title "What Does Being a Leader Mean to You?" The paper is covered with sticky notes.

A close up of a sticky note that says "listening to your peers and taking criticism."

Students place sticky notes on a white board.

A girl holds a pen in her left hand and writes on lined paper.

A boy holds up a piece of lined paper where he's written a letter on it.

Two students wearing hijabs turn and speak to each other.

Four students look down at the paper in front of them, writing.

Students fill a lecture hall, working on a letter writing campaign.

A group of students tour the UC Davis campus.

A girl places her hand on one of the UC Davis Egghead statues.

A group of students lean over desks to pose in a selfie being taken.

One of the event organizers stands on stage, speaking into a microphone.

A girl holds up a t-shirt that says "The one where I can go to college."

The School of Education hosted The Western Association of Educational Opportunity Personnel (WESTOP) Northern California chapter’s annual Student Leadership Conference on the UC Davis campus. Student participants from Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search, GEAR UP, and other federal TRIO Programs based in Northern California gathered for a day of leadership workshops and team-building activities centered around the Wicked-inspired theme “NextGen Leaders: Defying Gravity.”

The event kicked off with welcome speeches from Dr. Gary May, UC Davis Chancellor, who addressed how he continues to bring his personal identity to bear on his academic and professional pursuits, and Dr. Anne Jones, School of Education Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Community Partnerships, who shared the story of a former Upward Bound student and adviser who is now completing his Ph.D. at UC Davis. Samuel Blanco III, Director of the Pre-College TRIO Programs, Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound programs based out of the UC Davis campus, delivered the keynote address, encouraging students to become leaders at their schools and in their communities. Attendees were then dismissed for two workshop sessions, a letter writing campaign to communicate the impact of TRIO programs on student success, and a tour of the UC Davis campus.

The UC Davis School of Education has supported TRIO since 2019 and will continue to amplify the program’s reach and impact moving forward.

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