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The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Western Oklahoma State College federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1,499,422 to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities.
This award marks the continuation of 25 years of TRIO SSS services on Western’s campus. Since its inception in 2000, Western’s SSS program, known as WINDS has served over 4,300 students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers.
Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid and scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling, and mentoring, TRIO SSS empowers students to overcome barriers to success. These comprehensive supports significantly increase the likelihood of students completing their degrees or transferring successfully, all while minimizing student debt.
“This grant allows Western Oklahoma State College to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all students—regardless of background—can thrive academically and personally. TRIO SSS/WINDS helps level the playing field and equips our students with the tools and confidence to graduate and lead.” said Bruce Wilson, Director of TRIO programs.
Nationally, the SSS program has a proven track record of success. According to a 2019 evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, students in SSS at two-year institutions were 48% more likely to earn an associate degree or transfer to a four-year school. At four-year institutions, students 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, designed 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 meaningfully 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 Western Oklahoma State College, visit wosc.edu/winds or contact Bruce Wilson at bruce.wilson@wosc.edu
About the Federal TRIO Programs
TRIO programs (Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Veterans Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program) help students overcome academic, economic, and social barriers to higher education. TRIO services include assistance in choosing a college and tutoring; personal, financial, and career counseling; assistance in applying to college; workplace and college visits; special instruction in reading, writing, study skills, and mathematics; assistance in applying for financial aid; and academic assistance in high school or assistance to reenter high school or college.