UNH Today

The University of New Hampshire has received a five-year TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1.975 million from the U.S. Department of Education to provide support to low-income, first-generation, and disabled students as a part of UNH’s TRIO SSS program.

“This funding will allow us to keep making a difference by helping qualified UNH students achieve their academic dreams,” says Jes Crowell, director of UNH’s TRIO SSS program. “This support helps ensure students not only earn a degree but also have the resources and tools to thrive in college, graduate, and are then prepared to make a difference in a changing workforce and to thrive in their communities.”

The TRIO programs work with UNH students to overcome specific barriers by offering services such as financial aid, budget literacy, scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling and mentoring, and financial assistance through Grant Aid. The TRIO SSS staff offers workshops on mental health first aid, emotional intelligence (EQ), budgeting, networking and guidance on crafting a resume, graduate school application, and personal statements. For students with disabilities, TRIO SSS offers support with accessibility issues like accommodations, housing and transportation, as well as other equitable and effective resources like assistive technology and other interactive support.

The comprehensive support model for all TRIO SSS students greatly enhances the likelihood that students will complete their degrees while simultaneously minimizing debt. 

“Students who are economically disadvantaged may need to work to pay for school and other necessities like lodging, food and books,” says Crowell. “They may also have other challenges like having reliable transportation or finding or paying for childcare, which can make it difficult to attend school-related activities or participate in specific projects to the extent that they wish.”

The overall goal is to help strategically increase the retention, or graduation, rate for TRIO SSS students. Over the last five years, UNH TRIO SSS participants had a first-year retention rate of 98.9% compared to an average of 85.9% for their fellow undergraduate students.

The federal funding helps make it possible for TRIO SSS to serve 200 of the highest-need, eligible undergraduate students each year at UNH, who meet the low-income, first-generation, or disability criteria. The TRIO SSS project selects the students with the highest academic need among eligible students, who frequently struggle with the transition to college.

Nationally, the TRIO programs have a proven track record. According to a rigorous 2019 evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, participants in the TRIO SSS program at two-year institutions were 48% more likely to earn an associate’s degree or transfer to a four-year school. Participants at four-year institutions were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree compared to similar peers not in the program.

The UNH grant will continue to fund services for eligible students through 2030.