The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Mountain Gateway Community College a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1.7 million to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities.
This award marks the continuation of more than 40 years of TRIO SSS services on the campus. The program serves more than 240 students per year, 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 comprehensive supports make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree or successfully transfer, with the lowest possible debt.
“This grant allows Mountain Gateway to continue opening doors for students who might otherwise face significant barriers to completing college,” said Dr. John Rainone, president of MGCC. “We are proud to support first-generation, low-income, and disabled students with personalized guidance, mentorship, and resources that make their academic goals achievable. TRIO Student Support Services is a cornerstone of that mission.”
According to a 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.”
For more information about TRIO Student Support Services at Mountain Gateway Community College, visit https://www. mgcc.edu/achievement-center or contact Carol Conner, retention specialist and TRIO SSS tutor coordinator, at chconner@mgcc. edu.
