The mission of these programs is "to identify qualified individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, to prepare them for a program of postsecondary education, to provide support services for such students who are pursuing programs of postsecondary education."

The broader mission of the University's TRIO/EOP is to advocate for policies and procedures that improve the institutional climate for low-income and first generation college students and to ensure that educational access and retention for these students is an institutional objective.