Pittsburgh, PA — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh campus a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $489,444 annually for five years (contingent on continued Congressional approval) to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities.
This award marks the continuation of 53 years of TRIO SSS services on our campus. Since 1972, the program has served over 13,000 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 comprehensive supports make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree or successfully transfer, with the lowest possible debt.
“The Dietrich School’s TRIO SSS program is at the forefront of the national movement to support first-generation, low-income students. That’s as true today as it was when our team first secured this grant in 1972. Recognizing the challenges, potential, and accomplishments of these student populations is essential to creating a welcoming environment where everyone can succeed. The great work of TRIO SSS has helped to lay the groundwork for other important initiatives as the University, including the Provost Academy, Pitt Pell Match, and the First at Pitt program. I’m incredibly proud and look forward to continuing our efforts.” said Adam Leibovich, Bettye J. and Ralph E. Bailey Dean at Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences and College of General Studies.
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 the University of Pittsburgh, visit https://www.triosss.pitt.edu/ or contact Dr. Michele M. Lagnese at mml52@pitt.edu.