Who We Are The Higher Education Consortium of Metropolitan St. Louis (HEC) presents a representative voice for higher education institutions in the St. Louis area, and serves as the catalyst, connector, communicator and collaborator of educational programs and services, through career and advocacy initiatives that enhance student’s accessibility to education as well as their achievement in higher education & beyond. HEC offers the community three federally funded TRIO Educational Opportunity Programs: Educational Talent Search, TRIO Upward Bound, & Educational Opportunity Centers. What We Do Through the collective effort of stakeholders, HEC serves as catalyst for change through advocacy and investment efforts in: o Education and Career Planning o Student Support and Success Services o Career and Workforce Transition HEC’s TRIO Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP) are federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education to support young and adult participants as they progress to and through higher education and into career employment. TRIO Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers provide free academic and financial advising, counseling & tutoring, access to educational resources and summer enrichment programs, and college and career planning. We are your one stop shop for all things higher education. Who We Serve HEC serves participants in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area which includes the following counties: St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St, Charles, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, St. Clair, Clinton, and Monroe. Pre-collegiate programs target middle and high school students and their parents, as well as adult learners in pursuit of a college degree. Through partnerships with secondary schools, institutions of higher education, community organizations, & business, TRIO EOP provide services for over 859 middle and high school students and over 7,000 adults annually. Sign up today! Visit our website.