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Est.
TOMáS RIVERA EDUCATIONAL EMPOWERMENT CONFERENCE
2006
HOSTED BY OMEGA DELTA PHI FRATERNITY, INC -- XI CHAPTER
Planting Seeds of Knowledge, One Student at a Time, Since 2006.
The Tomás Rivera Educational Empowerment Conference has served as a beacon of opportunity and hope for first-generation students in Oklahoma, for over 20 years.
TREE CONFERENCE 2026
The distinguished Gentlemen of Omega Delta Phi Fraternity, Inc.—Xi Chapter at the University of Oklahoma, are delighted to announce the upcoming 2026 Tomás Rivera Educational Empowerment (TREE) Conference, scheduled for Tuesday, December 1st, 2026, on our beautiful campus.
Programming
TREE partners with organizations across Oklahoma to provide scholars with high-quality seminars, resources, and college-readiness experiences.
Founded in 2006, the Tomás Rivera Educational Empowerment Conference honors the life and legacy of Dr. Tomás Rivera, one of the most influential first-generation writers, educators, and leaders to graduate from the University of Oklahoma. Inspired by Dr. Rivera’s perseverance, love of learning, and belief in the power of education, TREE exists to empower first-generation students in Oklahoma by expanding access to college resources, mentorship, scholarships, and leadership development. Through a culturally rooted conference experience, TREE reminds students that knowledge can unlock limitless possibilities and that their stories, backgrounds, and dreams belong in higher education.
OUR MISSION
Networking
TREE connects scholars with universities, and community partners, helping them explore resources and pathways to higher education.
Scholarships
TREE has delivered over half a million dollars in scholarships, helping scholars turn their college goals into real opportunities for higher education.
+$600,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS
Over the course of two decades, the TREE Conference has awarded over half a million dollars in scholarships to deserving first-generation high school seniors across the Oklahoma. Each year, the conference equips hundreds of students with tangible pathways to collegiate success,.
Scholarship Recipients
LEARN ABOUT
TOMÁS RIVERA
Founded in 2006, the Tomás Rivera Educational Empowerment (TREE) Conference honors the life and legacy of Dr. Tomás Rivera—one of the most influential first-generation writers, educators, and leaders to graduate from the University of Oklahoma.
Dr. Rivera’s story is one of perseverance against the odds. Born into a migrant farmworker family in Texas, he dreamed of an education but faced the barriers of poverty and limited access to resources. When he couldn’t get books any other way, he would search city dumps for discarded ones. On one such trip, he discovered an entire, intact set of encyclopedias—his gateway to the world. That encyclopedia became his treasure, a constant reminder that knowledge could unlock limitless possibilities.
He graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1969, rising to become one of the most respected figures in higher education and eventually serving as Chancellor at the University of California, Riverside—the highest-ranking Latino educator of his time. When he passed away in 1984, that same set of encyclopedias sat in his office, a powerful symbol of his journey and a reminder never to forget where he came from.
The TREE Conference carries forward Dr. Rivera’s spirit and mission: to empower low-income and first-generation students to reach their fullest potential. Every year, we welcome more than 450 high school students from 30 partner schools across Oklahoma, providing them with the knowledge, resources, and mentorship they need to pursue higher education. Since its inception, the TREE Conference has awarded over $600,000 in scholarships, directly impacting the lives of hundreds of students and their families
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