Peg Hale, Registrar at Lyndon Institute, was recently selected as the 2021 Carolyn Donahue Friend of EOP Award recipient by the Vermont Educational Opportunity Programs (VEOP). The Vermont Educational Opportunity Programs is the state’s highest professional organization that is actively interested in ensuring equal educational opportunity for the state’s first-generation, college-bound, and modest-income students. This award recognizes individuals who work tirelessly to improve access to higher education for moderate-income and/or first-generation students, ensure their success in a post-secondary setting, and has made a tremendous impact on TRIO and GEAR Up students in their schools!

To receive this award, the nominee has to be a strong supporter of TRIO students and programs in Vermont, and has to be employed outside of the TRIO community in high schools or at institutions of higher education.

Mrs. Hale just begun a new position at Lyndon Institute as their Registrar. She previously worked at Saint Johnsbury Academy in the Guidance Department. Her dedication to the students she works with is unmatched and she works hard to make sure that every student is given the proper knowledge, support, and assistance they need to meet their educational goals; often going above and beyond her job description to do so. She is a passionate and caring individual who truly puts her students’ education first and makes it a priority to give equal opportunity to every student that she works with. This is the same level of support that she has given to the TRIO Upward Bound program at Northern Vermont University – Lyndon.

In her role supporting TRIO students, Mrs. Hale has stepped in to help the NVU Lyndon Upward Bound program with everything, from setting up school visits, recruiting presentations, and helping students with their college applications. Lyndon Institute provides an extensive support system for all students and truly understands how important the additional support from programs like Upward Bound is for their TRIO eligible college bound students. Mrs. Hale has been one of Upward Bound’s strongest advocates in the past, and does everything she can to make them aware that the educational opportunity available to them. She truly understands the adversity that first-generation students face and how difficult it can be for them to navigate the college application process. Mrs. Hale is a true advocate for equal opportunity among students and her passion and drive has changed several students’ high school experiences and perceptions about college.

Upward Bound at Northern Vermont University - Lyndon is a college preparatory program funded through the United States Department of Education. The program is committed to providing modest income, first in family, college-bound students with the academic background, college preparatory experiences and support to succeed in college immediately after high school. The Upward Bound program works with 75 students in 8 area high schools who are dedicated to achieving their post-secondary dreams. For more information, please contact Rick Williams in the Upward Bound Office at 626-5000.