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Dustin Luca
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SALEM, MASS. – The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Ƶ a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.
The award, worth $557,750, marks the continuation of 50 years of TRIO SSS services at Ƶ. The program empowers students to overcome barriers to success through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling, and mentoring.
“This grant allows Salem State to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all students—regardless of background—can thrive academically and personally,” said Kevin Linton PhD, the program’s director. “Student Support Services helps level the playing field and equips our students with the tools and confidence to graduate and lead.”
First introduced to Salem State in 1975, TRIO SSS has served thousands of Salem State students since its implementation, helping them stay in school, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers. With 50 years’ experience behind it, the university earned a perfect score on its recent grant proposal from the U.S. Department of Education’s review team.
Nationally, the SSS program has a . 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. 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 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 SSS program include Michael Cashman, town supervisor of Plattsburgh, New York; 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 Ƶ, visit or contact Linton at klinton@salemstate.edu.