News Article

ESC Receives TRIO Grant

Sep 28, 2010


 

 

September 22, 2010

 

EDISON STATE COLLEGE RECEIVES STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES TRIO GRANT

 

Edison State College (ESC) received official notification of a five year grant award from the U.S. Department of Education to continue its successful Student Support Services (SSS) TRIO Program. The SSS Program is 100% federally funded through a Title IV grant from the U. S. Department of Education.  The college will receive $293,846 for the first year of the grant period with the value of the grant for the 5 year award being 1.5 million dollars. 

 

The purpose of the Student Support Services Program is to provide academic and other support services to increase students’ retention and graduation rates, facilitate transfer from two-year to 4-year degree programs and to foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of participants. Services provided by SSS to assist in student success include: academic advising, educational and personal support, professional math/science tutoring, study group facilitation, supplemental instruction, peer tutoring, transfer planning, financial literacy, cultural activities, a dedicated computer lab, peer mentoring, and financial incentives including scholarships, tuition fee exemptions, and a lending program for textbooks, calculators and digital recorders. 

 

Hill Salvador, 27, is a member of the TRIO program. He is currently working on his AA degree at Edison State and has found the support invaluable. Through TRIO, he has received a voice recorder to assist with notes, tutoring in Math and English, books and a calculator. SSS advisors also helped Salvador  navigate the FAFSA system, enabling him to correct an error before his Financial Aid was affected.

 

“This is the best program because they really help keep me on track,” explained Salvador. “My grades are much improved thanks to the tutoring program.”

 

To be eligible to participate in SSS , students must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment at ESC as first-time-in the college, meet U. S. citizenship/residency requirements, and be either low-income, first-generation, or have a documented disability.  Two thirds of the 200 participants served annually must be both low-income and first-generation.   In addition, all participants must have an academic need that can be addressed with services provided by the program.

 

According to Paula Dailey, SSS Program Director, “The SSS Program at Edison State College has been funded for over 40 years and has helped hundreds of students succeed in their dreams of completing a college degree and moving into a successful career.”  ESC students interested in information about applying to the SSS Program may drop by the office in Taeni Hall 258, call (239) 489-9111, or email sssp@edison.edu.

 

For media inquiries contact Meg Hawthorne, Public Information Specialist at Edison State College (Lee Campus) 239-489-9306 or mahawthorne@edison.edu.

 

Celebrating nearly 50 years of excellence, Edison State College is Southwest Florida’s largest, most established, accessible and affordable institution of higher education. Edison State serves more than 20,000 students yearly  in five counties and through the Edison Online virtual campus.

 

Photo: Hill Salvador

Cutline: Hill Salvador is enrolled in the SSS TRIO Program at Edison State College.

 

Last Updated: May 26, 2020

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