Sue Huizinga
Sue Huizinga –Executive Board Member, Reach Higher Shasta and Shasta College TRIO Director
Sue Huizinga has spent her entire career helping first generation to college and limited income individuals be successful in school, graduate, go to college, and graduate from college. While doing this it is also extremely important to her to support the people who work with her in achieving these goals. Her heart is also in providing these opportunities to rural youth.
Sue grew up in Boise, Idaho, and attended Boise High the same high school her father graduated from. She went to the University of Idaho, in Moscow, Idaho where she received a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education, Social Studies and English. Unfortunately when she graduated there were very few teaching jobs available in the Boise area so she spent a few years in banking before Boise State got their first TRIO programs. As it turned out, her father, in his job with Deloitte, had audited the Idaho universities and knew about TRIO from Idaho State University. He was adamant that this was the perfect job for her. She was hired as an advisor in TRIO Educational Talent Search and in less than a year became the Director. Over the next 28 years at BSU she received grants and continued renewals for 2 ETS grants and 4 Upward Bound grants, and a TRIO Dissemination Program. While at BSU she earned a Master Degree in Reading Education.
In 2013 Sue’s son had graduated from the University of Utah and was living in Portland so she and her husband decided that Sue should probably live somewhere other than Boise in her life. But she knew she still wanted mountains and a river and an opportunity to help students. When a position came open with UC Davis TRIO and GEARUP she moved to the north state. Then in 2016 Sue became the Shasta College TRIO Educational Talent Search and TRIO Upward Bound Director; then in 2017 the Director of TRIO Student Support Services.
Being part of TRIO and its historical impact on our country is deeply meaningful for her. She has been able to participate as a national trainer of TRIO Directors and other staff.
In Idaho Sue was part of the Treasure Valley Education Partnership a cradle to career network (now called RISE). She worked with secondary, postsecondary, community based agencies, and the Albertson’s Foundation to begin a path for more successful postsecondary opportunities for the young people of southwestern Idaho. When she came to Redding, Reach Higher Shasta had just been formed and she was able to attend a few meetings. After coming to Shasta College Sue asked Kevin O’Rorke, then Vice President of Student Services at Shasta College, how she could be more involved and he recommended that she be the Shasta College representative on the Reach Higher Shasta board.
As a part of Reach Higher Shasta, Sue has attended a few of the Counseling Initiative meetings and the NST Group meetings. Sue feels like her work on Reach Higher Shasta is just beginning.
In addition, Sue has served as TRIO Trainer for the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE), made many presentation at TRIO conferences, coordinated TRIO conferences, and mentored many TRIO Professionals. She received the COE National Walter O. Mason award for service to TRIO in 2011. Her service to TRIO professionals inspires her every day.
The TRIO Student Support Services program which assists low income first generation Shasta College students was just refunded for another five years. Shasta College TRIO Educational Talent Search (serving 6th-12th graders) grant writing will happen this fall and TRIO Upward Bound (serving 9th-12th graders) next fall. She is excited to continue to support TRIO students and staff in all three programs.
Because, TRIO Works!!!!!
