Arkansas Tech University has earned more than $2.7 million in anticipated grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education to continue two TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) programs on its Russellville campus through August 2030.
The grant funding will allow ATU to continue the SSS program it has offered on its Russellville campus since 2010 and the SSS teacher preparation program that was established on its Russellville campus in 2020.
The SSS grant and the SSS teacher preparation grant are both in the amount of $272,364 per year. The anticipated five-year total for the grants is $2,723,640. Each SSS program is designed to serve 140 students per academic year.
Student Support Services programs are under the TRIO umbrella of federal education initiatives, which were established as a result of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. SSS programs were introduced in 1968.
“Many of our TRIO Student Support Services participants are first-generation college students and/or come from low-income backgrounds,” said Nichole Edwards, director of ATU SSS programs. “Many of them enter college without the same level of support, resources or familiarity with higher education as other students. Institutional processes, complex terminology and academic expectations are foreign concepts. Our program serves as a critical support system, guiding students through not only the demands of their coursework, but also through essential processes like financial aid, communication etiquette and campus networking.
“Our job isn’t just focusing on academics,” continued Edwards. “It’s about fostering belonging, building meaningful connections and helping students see they have what it takes to build a successful future. By walking alongside them, we help students turn uncertainty into confidence and ensure they have the tools they need to succeed in college and beyond.”
Since its inception, the ATU SSS program has assisted 457 Tech students in earning their bachelor’s degrees. The ATU SSS teacher preparation program has helped an additional 191 students complete their degrees.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, SSS programs are designed to “provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements and to motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education.”
Additional program goals stated on the ATU SSS website include strengthening academic skills, developing personal confidence, exploring majors and careers, building new friendships, experiencing academic enrichment and making plans for the future.
Required SSS program services include academic tutoring, assistance in postsecondary course selection and information on financial aid programs and benefits, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
In addition, SSS programs must provide education or counseling services designed to improve financial and economic literacy as well as activities designed to assist participants in continuing their studies beyond the completion of the credential currently being pursued.
SSS programs may also provide individualized counseling, activities and instruction designed to acquaint students with available career options and exposure to opportunities and academic programs not usually available to disadvantaged students.
ATU students on the Russellville campus interested in applying for the SSS program or the SSS teacher preparation program may call (479) 880-4172, send e-mail to trio.sss@atu.edu or visit www.atu.edu/sss for more information.
