Press Release: Pensacola State College has been awarded two highly competitive U.S. Department of Education TRiO Student Support Services grants totaling $2.69 million over five years.
TRiO Student Support Services is a federally funded program to assist students who are first generation in college, low income, or have a documented disability.
Student veterans are a new focus for the TRiO program, and PSC has been awarded one of the first Veterans Student Support Services grants, funded at $220,000/year. The five-year project totals $1,100,000 and will serve 120 eligible student veterans each year.
The second grant provides $318,545/year for the college’s re-funded Regular Student Support Services project to serve 225 students each year. The five-year project totals $1,592,725.
PSC President Edward Meadows pointed out that TRiO programs are effective at helping students get in college, stay in college and graduate.
“We are grateful for this funding that will increase our opportunities to help students be successful, and we are especially pleased that we are among the first to receive funding for support services benefiting our student veterans,†President Meadows said.
Services provided in both grants include advising, academic tutoring, mentoring, personal counseling and cultural activities.
Implemented at PSC more than 30 years ago, SSS provides a holistic approach to working with students that has traditionally doubled student retention and graduation rates, according to Rachelle Burns, director of Student Support Services at PSC.
