Trent Ball serves as the inaugural Senior Director, Postsecondary Equity and Attainment, for the Missouri College and Career Attainment Network (MOCAN). MOCAN exists to ensure Missouri students who could most benefit from education beyond high school have what they need to earn a credential leading to a rewarding career. MOCAN is built on the success of two prior initiatives: Missouri College Access Network and St. Louis Graduates. MOCAN is a network of institutions, organizations, and professionals committed to greater equity in college and career access, affordability, and completion. By working for change at the institutional and systems levels, MOCAN aspires to create a postsecondary education system where outcomes are no longer predictable by race or socio-economic status.
As Senior Director, Mr. Ball leads MOCAN's postsecondary attainment strategy including the Postsecondary Equity Network (PEN), as well as the organization's research agenda and advocacy work. Prior to joining MOCAN, Trent retired from Southeast Missouri State University in May 2022 and holds the title of Associate Provost Emeritus. During his tenure at Southeast, he provided leadership and management of the Academic Support Centers, including Educational Access Programs, Learning Assistance Programs, and the TRIO Programs (McNair Scholars and Student Support Services).
Mr. Ball is the Past Board Chair for the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE), Past President of The Educational Opportunity Association (EOA) and Past President of MO-KAN-NE - all TRIO and educational opportunity and access promoting professional organizations. Currently, he is the President of the Missouri Association of Blacks in Higher Education (MABHE), serves on the Board of Directors for The Ferguson Youth Initiative Board (FYI), Chiron Community Giving Foundation (CCGF), Gene Slay’s Girls and Boys Club, The Missouri Court Appointed Special Advocates (MOCASA) and served as the TRIO and College Access Programs Representative to the CAS Standards Board of Directors. Ball earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Psychology from Culver-Stockton College, a Master of Arts in Psychological Counseling and Therapy and has completed coursework in the Master of Public Administration at Southeast Missouri State University.
Mr. Ball has dedicated his career to creating the agency and capacity of students, families, staff, and faculty to develop, support, promote, and protect the critical issues of access, opportunity, and equitable outcomes throughout postsecondary education.