Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Crack In The Glass Ceiling: How Trio Programs In Maine Are Narrowing The Gender Gap, Michelle Richards

Thinking Matters Symposium

Although women have increased their presence within the workforce, higher education, and politics, they are still underrepresented in top leadership positions. Men outnumber women in the Senate, House of Representatives, Congress, and at the CEO level. Even in the nonprofit sector where women have historically outnumbered men, the top leadership positions are primarily held by men. However, there is a predominance of women directors in Maine’s TRIO programs. TRIO programs are federally funded non-profit organizations designed to encourage access to higher education for economically disadvantaged and first-generation students (Council for Opportunity in Education, n.d.). There are 23 TRIO programs in …