Peggy Jenkins, Founding Director of Palouse Pathways, Recognized with National College Access Award

Palouse Pathways is excited to announce that our Founding Director, Peggy Jenkins, has been honored with the Inclusion, Access, and Success Award from NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling). Presented at the NACAC Conference 2025 in Columbus, Ohio, this award recognizes her exceptional dedication to expanding opportunities and support for rural students pursuing higher education.

Peggy’s belief in the potential of every student inspired the founding of Palouse Pathways in 2013 - and it continues to guide the organization today. Her leadership has helped make college a reality for hundreds of students across the Palouse region by offering personalized guidance and comprehensive resources for exploring college, career, and financial aid options. 

The following excerpt about Peggy’s impact was published on the NACAC website:

“Peggy Jenkins started her career in Washington D.C. as a clerk for a federal judge before returning home to Hawaii, where she eventually became a partner at a large Honolulu law firm. In 2001 she moved to Deary, Idaho and worked remotely doing legal research and writing. Peggy later moved to Moscow, Idaho where she noticed that local students had fewer college opportunities than the children of her law-firm friends in Honolulu. She headed the Parent Teacher Association at Moscow High School and shared information about FAFSA, scholarships, college admission tests, and more.

In 2013, Peggy founded Palouse Pathways, which now serves 500-700 rural students per year, including 80 Palouse Pathways Scholars, who are a cohort of rural students in grades nine-12 who receive college advising and enrichment and who support one another in their college aspirations. Palouse Pathways is known for innovative programs and for connecting rural schools and students with opportunities like QuestBridge, College Horizons, Stars College Network, and more.

Peggy co-founded NACAC’s Rural and Small Town Special Interest Group (SIG) in 2019. The group quickly grew to more than 2,000 members, including rural counselors and college admission folks. In 2021, Peggy served as co-chair of NACAC’s Rural and Small Town Issues Ad Hoc Committee and is also active in NACAC’s Community Based Organization SIG and PNACAC.

Peggy serves on the Coalition for College’s Counselor Advisory Committee, University of Chicago Access Partners Group, and the Bryn Mawr College President’s Counsel. She previously served on the Common App Advisory Board and the Washington University Counselor Advisory Board. She reviews scholarships for the Gates, Jack Kent Cooke, and Innovia foundations.

She moved to Santa Fe in July 2025, where she continues her part-time legal research and writing and volunteers for one of the college access organizations nearby. She plans to stay involved with Palouse Pathways to ensure that it has a strong and sustainable future.”

Watch the award presentation at the NACAC Conference 2025 here: