Denise Gladden-Peters

Student Success

If you talk to Denise Gladden-Peters, she'll tell you that everyone should have known about Triton College's TRIO program. The student support services program provided guidance and support in the form of tutoring, mentoring and financial advising to low-income, first-generation and students with disabilities on campus.

"TRIO was the best partner a student could’ve had," Gladden-Peters said at her commencement ceremony in 2015. "I wouldn’t have completed my education today and received my diploma without it."

Gladden-Peters came to Triton after facing family and medical hardships, including a divorce and a two-year medical disability leave from her job as a nurse. Getting back on track wasn’t easy, but with her children in mind, she was determined to find her passion for life again. Social work became her calling, as it allowed her to give back and help others who have endured similar hardships.

Gladden-Peters decided to pursue a bachelor's degree in social work from Governors State University through Triton's University Center, which allowed her to attend classes right on Triton's campus. Gladden-Peters is courageous, empowered and prepared for success.