The U.S. Department of Education has recently awarded a five-year grant for $1,952,315 to the New Mexico State University TRiO Student Support Services Program.
NMSU first received funding for this program in 1971. The goals of Student Support Services are to increase the retention and graduation rates of first generation students, low-income students and students with a disability. NMSU TRiO SSS participants receive a variety of academic success and social support services to assist with the transition to the university. The program supports 350 participants every year.
“Adjustments to the academic rigor of a research university and to college life can be overwhelming,” said Tony Marin, director of Student Affairs and the principal investigator of the program. “The uniqueness of this program includes mentoring and tutoring components centered on a peer model, which has proven to be effective in assisting program participants to persist and graduate from New Mexico State.”
The Student Success Center, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and academic departments will collaborate to help the program continue to provide academic success, cultural enrichment, economic/financial literacy, mentoring, tutoring and leadership opportunities to participants.
“This funded proposal received 34 letters of tangible commitments from the university community. The reviewers obviously concluded that this program has strong support from the administrators, faculty and staff of New Mexico State University,” Marin said.
“The program will focus on providing evidence-based academic success activities that focus on pre-advising, tutoring, the development and monitoring of degree plans, financial/economic literacy and the acquisition of college learning and study strategies,” Marin said. “Our annual performance report’s outcomes demonstrate the success of our service design and most importantly our program participants.”
The new five-year grant cycle begins Sept. 1. For more information about the program, contact Marin at 575-646-7207 or visit the TRiO SSS website at http://ssc.nmsu.edu/trio-student-support-services/.