ASU Mid-South receives TRIO SSS grant renewal

Student Support Services program helps low- income students with cost of

higher education

www.asumidsouth.edu Arkansas State University Mid-South has been notified by the US Department of Education it has been selected to receive continued funding under the Federal TRIO Student Support Services program.

The amount for the first year of the five-year grant (Sept. 1, 2020 through Aug. 31, 2021) will be $335,086, and Mid-South expects more than $1.675 million in total funding for the program. The purpose of the Student Support Services Program (SSS) is to provide academic and other support services to low-income, first- generation or disabled college students to increase students’ retention and graduation rates, facilitate their transfer from two-year to fouryear colleges, and foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of low-income and first generation college students and individuals with disabilities.

“This program allows ASU Mid-South to offer a degree of motivation and support to a group of students who may need more than students who come from households where a member of the family has previously been to college,” according to Jeremy Reece, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. “First generation and low income students often do not have the support or the frame of reference to understand all that is needed to be successful in a college environment. That’s where programs like TRIO SSS are so vital to our campus.

Over 50% of our adult students are candidates for this program.”

Through a grant competition, funds are awarded to institutions of higher education to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements, and to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education.

Student Support Services (SSS) projects also may provide grant aid to current SSS participants who are receiving Federal Pell Grants. The goal of SSS is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants.

“Our campus community also owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Nancy Hogan, whose leadership in our TRIO SSS program has been nothing short of spectacular and a significant reason for our program’s continued success at a national level,” Reece continued. Nancy Hogan was a stalwart on the ASU Mid-South campus and served as the long-time Project Director of TRIO Student Support Services on the campus. Hogan retired during the Spring 2020 semester, but before retiring, she assisted in a tremendous way with the writing of the grant proposal that was recently funded. “Nancy has been a mentor to so many on our campus and has served as an example of what it means to be a servant leader. We are blessed to have one of Nancy’s former SSS success coaches, Sarah Black, take over the direction of our program, so her legacy can continue,” added Reece.

“We are thrilled to have been renewed for another five years,” remarked

Continued on Page 2 TRIO GRANT (cont.)

Sarah Black, new Project Director TRIO Student Support Services. “It gives us the opportunity to continue promoting educational success, retention, persistence and providing pathways to immense opportunities for lowincome, first generation college students and students with disabilities from diverse backgrounds.”

“Something new this year, as part of our global pandemic planning, we are preparing to provide workshops to students virtually as an option. We have connected with some four-year institutions to provide virtual transfer tours and local

Arkansas State University Mid-South is a public twoyear institution of higher education with an opendoor admission policy, serving Crittenden County, Arkansas and the surrounding areas. The College is committed to enriching lives through high quality educational programming that fosters student success, workforce development, and lifelong learning. For more information about ASU Mid-South, visit www.asumidsouth.edu.