Federal Grant to Continue Student Support Services
By Daniel Fanning
The University of Wisconsin-Superior has been selected to receive funding through a federal grant to continue the successful Student Support Services Program, enabling the university to continue offering tutoring, remedial work, disability support services, and outreach to first-generation, low-income college students.
Grant to provide $292,340 a year for five years
The Student Support Services (SSS) grant from the U.S. Department of Education provides $292,340 a year for an anticipated five years. The first year of this grant award takes effect from September 2015 through August 2016. UW-Superior also contributes funds to Student Support Services. In 2015, UW-Superior was one of 25 Wisconsin universities and colleges to receive grants through the competitive process. U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin notified UW-Superior that the school has once again been selected to receive the on-going funding.
“This grant will enable us to continue to serve students and families that need support to complete their dreams of a college education,” said Toua Thao, project director, SSS, (TRiO) at UW-Superior. “Our priority is to serve students who might need an extra boost to prepare them for a quality education,” he said.
Student Support Services is a federally funded program designed to serve students who are qualified according to federal income guidelines, who are first generation college students (neither parent has a baccalaureate degree), or who have a disability. UW-Superior will be able to award $33,000 in scholarships through this program. Last year, UW-Superior was awarded $292,340 and was one of 11 UW System institutions that earned a grant.
UW-Superior Chancellor Renée Wachter is proud and grateful that the campus has again earned this federal grant and can continue to provide an opportunity to those students to ensure they have support along the path to graduation. “Our team at UW-Superior does an outstanding job with the Student Support Services Program, which is a high priority on our campus. It is so rewarding to watch these students develop academically and reach their individual potential in higher education.”
“This program provides opportunities for academic development, assists students with basic college requirements, and serves to motivate students to successfully complete their postsecondary education,” said Angie Hugdahl, Upward Bound director and TRiO coordinator at UW-Superior. “These students work so hard and it is a pleasure to see them progress and reach their dreams.”
UW-Superior has a longstanding commitment to help underrepresented and disadvantaged students prepare for and succeed in higher education. Countless numbers of low-income, first generation college students and members of a traditionally underrepresented group have succeeded in higher education through federally funded TRiO programs. TRiO develops skilled, focused, and motivated students to graduate from post-secondary, graduate and doctoral institutions.
UW-Superior has received federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education to host three federally-funded TRiO programs for a total of 56 years: Upward Bound since 1999, Student Support Services since 1980 and McNair Post- Baccalaureate Achievement since 1999.
Student Support Services (SSS) program is the longest running program of 35 years. It provides personal, academic, and career support services to hundreds of low-income and first-generation college students, as well as students with disabilities. SSS is located in the middle of the campus’ academic building Swenson and is a hub of student-centered tutoring and supplemental instruction for the campus.
Through a grant competition, funds are awarded to institutions of higher education to provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements, and to motivate students toward the successful completion of their post-secondary education. The goal of SSS is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants.
The University of Wisconsin-Superior is a public liberal arts institution of 2,600 students in the Duluth-Superior, MN-WI metro area. Founded in 1893 as a teacher’s college, UW-Superior now has more than 60 program offerings, select graduate programs, and competitive Division III athletics programs, as well as research and scholarship that support the community and region.
