Anna Phan started working as the director of TRIO Upward Bound in February of 2026.

Why did you choose to work at UMD?

Before coming to UMD, I served as the Director of TRIO Programs at the University of Minnesota Morris, where I found incredibly fulfilling work alongside passionate and caring colleagues who always kept students at the center of what we did. I loved the work and the people, but with my family living in the Twin Cities, I was also looking for an opportunity to return to the area and be closer to them.

When I learned about the TRIO Upward Bound position at UMD, it immediately caught my interest. It offered an opportunity to continue the work I truly love, supporting students, advocating for educational opportunity, and helping students see possibilities for their futures, while bringing some of the knowledge and connections I had developed at Morris to a new community. I miss my UMM team and students very much, but joining UMD felt like the right next step for both my professional work and my family.

What do you like most about your job? 

I absolutely love what we get to do through TRIO Upward Bound. I’m incredibly fortunate to work with a talented and passionate team. We are a fully staffed team with four advisors and one program coordinator, and each person brings a unique set of experiences, expertise, and perspectives to our work. We are a geographically dispersed team, serving students across multiple communities, and while that comes with its challenges, I’ve been inspired by how deeply committed everyone is to advocating for students and supporting one another.

And, of course, the students are at the heart of everything we do. Our students are curious, ambitious, and full of potential, often far beyond what we could imagine for them. I feel truly honored to be part of their learning journey, to help them discover opportunities, and to support them as they work toward making their hopes and goals a reality. It feels great to be able to play even a small part in a student’s journey toward college and beyond.

Do you have any advice for students?

Know that there is a whole village of professionals who are passionate about your success. You may already know some of them, and there may be others you have not connected with yet. Find those people. Ask questions. Ask for help. Successful people know that they do not have to figure everything out on their own, and they know how to ask for support when they need it.

You’ve got this, and we’re here for you!

What do you like to do in your free time?

Every October, my free time gets taken over by a family tradition: designing and sewing our Halloween costumes. I make those for our family of seven, including two adults, four kids, and our dog. So far, we’ve been crayons, condiments, bananas, a bunch of grapes, astronauts with the moon and sun, and M&M’s. This year, we’re going to be bowling pins, with our puppy as the bowling ball. It’s definitely a lot of work, but seeing the whole family come together in our ridiculous costumes makes it completely worth it.