The U.S. Department of Education has awarded San Diego Mesa College a TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1,762,655 ($352,531 annually over five years) to increase retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities.
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.
Nationally, the SSS program has a proven track record. According to a 2019 U.S. Department of Education evaluation, SSS students at two-year colleges were 48% more likely to earn an associate 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.
Student Support Services (SSS) is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs are designed to remove academic, social, and cultural barriers to higher education. Since 1968, SSS has helped millions of students graduate from college and contribute to their communities and the broader economy.
Notable alumni of the TRIO Student Support Services program include Michael Cashman, Town Supervisor of Plattsburgh, NY; José Hernández, former NASA astronaut; and Cheryl Johnson, 36th Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
For more information about TRIO Student Support Services at Mesa, visit www.sdmesa.edu/star-trio or contact Chris Kalck, STAR TRIO Counselor Coordinator, at MesaStarTrio@sdccd.edu.
