The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Fort Valley State University a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1.3 million to improve college retention and graduation rates among underserved, first-generation students and students with disabilities.

This award marks the continuation of 15 years of TRIO SSS services on our campus. Since 2010, the program has served more than 500 students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees and build meaningful careers.

Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling and mentoring, TRIO SSS empowers students to overcome barriers to success. These services significantly boost students’ chances of graduating or transferring successfully, all while keeping their debt to a minimum.

“This grant allows Fort Valley State University to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all students—regardless of background—can thrive academically and personally,” said Timothy Hatchett, Ph.D., vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. “Student Support Services equips our students with the tools and confidence to graduate and lead.” Nationally, the SSS program has a proven track record. According to a rigorous 2019 evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, students in SSS at two-year institutions were 48% more likely to earn an associate’s degree or transfer to a four-year school, and students at four-year institutions were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree compared to similar peers not in the program.

“TRIO programs generally and TRIO SSS, in particular, transforms students from the least resourced backgrounds into college graduates,” said Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington, D.C. “This vital program makes all the difference for nearly a million students each year across the country.”

SSS is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to remove social, academic and cultural barriers to higher education. Since its inception in 1968, SSS has helped millions of low-income, first-generation students graduate from college and contribute to their communities and the economy. Notable alumni of the TRIO Student Support Services program include Michael Cashman, Town Supervisor of Plattsburgh, NY; former NASA astronaut José Hernández; and Cheryl Johnson, 36th Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.

For more information about TRIO Student Support Services at Fort Valley State University, contact Davida Curtis, Ph.D., at [email protected].