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Our History
The Arkansas Association of Student Assistance Programs (AASAP) was officially organized in 1971, emerging from the statewide collaboration of TRIO professionals dedicated to supporting educational opportunity for disadvantaged students. AASAP’s origins are closely tied to the federal TRIO Programs, which began under the Higher Education Act of 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on Poverty.” These programs — including Upward Bound, Talent Search, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, Staff Development, and later, the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program — were designed to identify, prepare, and support students in their pursuit of higher education.
Arkansas played a vital role in TRIO’s early development, with The College of the Ozarks hosting one of the first 18 national pilot Upward Bound projects in 1965. Soon after, Ouachita Baptist University, Philander Smith College, and other institutions across the state launched additional programs, laying the foundation for a strong statewide network.
Under the leadership of pioneers like John Phillips, Dr. Ted Elliott, and Charles Chambliss, AASAP was formed to improve communication and collaboration among TRIO programs in Arkansas. Since its founding, AASAP has remained actively engaged at both the regional and national levels through the Southwest Association of Student Assistance Programs (SWASAP) and the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE), with several Arkansas leaders serving in influential roles.
Throughout its history, AASAP has worked tirelessly to expand access to education and strengthen TRIO programs across the state. From its early years of 17 projects in the 1970s to more than two dozen by the 1990s, AASAP members have continued to advocate for educational equity, professional development, and student success. Today, Arkansas is home to 82 federally funded TRIO programs serving more than 25,000 students across 31 colleges, universities, and community colleges statewide.
As we look to the future, AASAP honors the legacy of those who built and sustained this organization — carrying forward their commitment to ensuring that education remains the pathway to opportunity for all.
(Based on the historical record compiled by Alvin Anglin, AASAP Historian, 1991.)
The charge of the 2023 AASAP ELI cohort was to create a record of historical TRIO events in the state of Arkansas. You can find the timeline of critical events in AASAP's history below: