Adams State University’s Student Support Services (SSS) was awarded a continuing, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education of $306, 511, according to Danielle Smith, project director. SSS has been an important service on Adams State’s campus for several decades. This federal TRIO program advances and defends the ideal of equal educational opportunity by helping disadvantaged students overcome economic, social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education.
SSS at Adams State currently serves 175 students with academic counseling, financial literacy, career counseling, tutoring, mentoring, and graduate school preparation. The grant requires that two-thirds of the participants be first-generation college students and/or low income. Students with disabilities are also supported, one-third of whom must be low income.
“I want to thank Tawney Becker, our grant writer, and Lourdes Zavala, our grant consultant, for their work on our grant,” Smith added. “It’s also important for people to message their elected officials about the need to continue funding TRIO programs.”
Academic counseling includes helping freshman transition to college by developing time management skills and learning strategies. SSS helps upperclassmen with career-building tools and graduate school application. Free, one-on-one tutoring is available to all SSS students.
SSS also helps students apply for scholarships and federal financial aid. The program builds students’ economic and financial literacy, with a focus on budget management, loan repayment, and how to build credit.
Another important component of the program is peer mentoring, which helps cultivate academic behaviors and mindsets, improve social skills, and increase feelings of self-belonging. The mentor groups also attend a variety of cultural, social, and academic programs throughout the academic year.
For more information about Student Support Services at Adams State University, please visit: www.adams.edu/students/student-support-services/.
