The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Texas Woman’s University a federal grant totaling $2.6 million to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities.
The award is the continuation of five years of Education Department funding through its TRiO Student Support Services program. Since 2020, the program has served about 260 TWU students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees and build meaningful careers.
The new awards will fund the TRiO STEM-H program, led by Caisha Jones, which will serve up to 120 Texas Woman’s students majoring in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or health majors; and the TRiO Classic program, directed by Elizabeth Durham, which will serve up to 140 students in all undergraduate majors. The programs are 100% federally funded, so students must meet specific requirements.
Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling, and mentoring, TRiO SSS empowers students to overcome barriers to success. These comprehensive supports make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree or successfully transfer, with the lowest possible debt.
“TRiO programs provide academic wrap-around supports to aid students in remaining in college and graduating,” said Theresa Lindsay, PhD, executive director of the Pioneer Center for Student Excellence.
According to a 2019 Education Department evaluation, students at four-year institutions were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree compared with 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.”
Students interested in learning more about the TRiO programs at TWU may contact Caisha Jones or Elizabeth Durham at (940) 898-3755.