The U.S. Department of Education has awarded حوإ¼½م½م a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1.36 million over five years to improve college retention and graduation rates among students from low-income backgrounds, first-generation students, and students with disabilities.
حوإ¼½م½م’s was first awarded a five-year TRIO grant in 2020. Since then, the program has served over 250 College for Women students, providing academic advising and connecting them with resources to help them succeed. The new grant will extend the program for another five years.
“Continued funding for TRIO Student Support Services allows us to keep making a difference in the lives of hundreds of students,†said Matthew Kruger, director of the program at حوإ¼½م½م’s. “By equipping students with the resources and tools to thrive in college, TRIO SSS empowers them to succeed in college and graduate prepared to understand the changing world, contribute to a thriving society, and lead in their communities.â€
According to a report covering the 2023–24 academic year, 91% of حوإ¼½م½م’s TRIO SSS students persisted from one fall semester to the next, compared to 74% of students who would be eligible (first-generation students, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities) but who were not served by the program, and 84% of students who were not eligible. In addition, at the end of 2023–24, 97% of TRIO SSS students were in good academic standing, compared to rates of 90% for eligible but not served students and 94% for non-eligible students.
Students who are eligible can apply to join TRIO in the fall. Each TRIO SSS student is placed with an academic advisor and receives priority course registration and access to workshops and events on topics including financial literacy, graduate school exploration, and FAFSA assistance. These resources are designed to empower these student populations to overcome barriers to success on their paths to graduating and finding meaningful careers.
TRIO Student Support Services is 100% funded by a grant from the United States Department of Education under the Student Support Services Program (84.042A), award number P042A251001. For the academic year 2025-2026, total funding is $272,364.
SSS is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965 designed to remove social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education. Since its inception in 1968, SSS has helped millions of students graduate from college and contribute to their communities and the economy.
Learn more about TRIO Student Support Services at حوإ¼½م½م’s.
About the Federal TRIO Programs
TRIO programs (Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Veterans Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program) help students overcome academic, economic, and social barriers to higher education. TRIO services include assistance in choosing a college and tutoring; personal, financial, and career counseling; assistance in applying to college; workplace and college visits; special instruction in reading, writing, study skills, and mathematics; assistance in applying for financial aid; and academic assistance in high school or assistance to reenter high school or college.