The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Seminole State College two federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grants. The first is a traditional SSS grant totaling $1,532,570, and the second is a STEM SSS grant totaling $1,361,820. Both grants are for a five-year period and are designed to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.
Through services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, counseling and mentoring, TRIO SSS helps students overcome barriers to success and graduate or transfer with minimal debt.
“This grant allows Seminole State College to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all students—regardless of background—can thrive academically and personally,” Janna Wilson-Byrd, SSS / STEM SSS Director said. “Student Support Services helps level the playing field and equips our students with the tools and confidence to graduate and lead.”
Nationally, the SSS program has a proven track record. According to a 2019 evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, students in SSS at two-year colleges were 48 percent more
likely to earn an associate degree or transfer, and those at four-year institutions were 18 percent more likely to graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
“TRIO programs generally and TRIO SSS, in particular, transforms students from the least resourced backgrounds into college graduates,” Kimberly Jones, President of the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington, D.C., said. “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.
“These grants enable us to provide focused support that helps students succeed in their studies. We appreciate the support of U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Bice and other members of the Oklahoma Congressional delegation for their ongoing efforts on behalf of SSC’s federal grant programs,” SSC President Lana Reynolds said.
Notable TRIO SSS alumni include former NASA astronaut José Hernández, U.S. House Clerk Cheryl Johnson, and Michael Cashman, Supervisor of the Town of Plattsburgh, N.Y.
For more information about TRIO Student Support Services at Seminole State College, visit www.sscok.edu or contact Janna Wilson-Byrd at j.wilsonbyrd@sscok.edu.