TRIO Student Support Services
Who we are
Student Support Services is a federally funded TRIO program granted by the U.S. Department of Education. The program provides opportunities that are aimed to enhance students’ academic development, assist students with their academic progress, and motivate students toward successful completion of their post-secondary education.
Other TRIO programs that you may have heard of include Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math/Sciences, Veterans Upward Bound, Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Centers, and the Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program. These programs were established to assist students overcome class, social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education. A full description of each TRIO program may be found on the Council for Opportunity in Education’s website.
More Info – COE WebsiteAbout TRIO
Each year, Forsyth Tech’s SSS staff identifies, with the help of college/campus partners, admitted students who meet SSS program requirements. SSS services only 140 students each year by providing them with academic, social, and cultural support throughout college. By applying to SSS, students will be taking a giant step toward assuring their success at Forsyth Tech.
As part of the Civil Rights Movement and the War on Poverty, TRIO Programs were created to provide college access to limited income, first generation students and provide them with the opportunities and tools to earn college degrees and end the cycle of poverty.The three original TRIO programs were Upward Bound (created in 1964), Talent Search (1965), and Student Support Services (1968). These three programs provided the umbrella term “TRIO”.
TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally funded grant program that advocates for first generation, limited income, and students with accommodations. Our mission is to advance student success by:
- Empowering students to excel at Forsyth Tech and transfer prepared to succeed in a bachelor’s degree program
- Fostering a community of support with individualized, holistic services to promote self-enrichment and lifelong development
- Challenging students to exceed expectations and become leaders in the classroom and community
Program services include:
- Academic tutoring, which may include instruction in reading, writing, study skills, mathematics, science, and other subjects;
- Advice and assistance in postsecondary course selection;
Information on both the full range of student financial aid programs and benefits; - Resources for locating public and private scholarships;
- Assistance in completing financial aid applications, including the FAFSA;
- Education or counseling services designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of students, including financial planning for postsecondary education; and
- Assistance in applying for transfer admission to, and obtaining financial assistance for enrollment in, four-year postsecondary education programs.
- Additional program services may also include:
- Individualized counseling for personal, career, and academic matters;
Information, activities, and instruction designed to acquaint students participating in the project with the range of career options available;
Exposure to cultural events and academic programs; and
Mentoring programs.
Complete an application, and ensure that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- First-Generation College Student- neither Parent(s)/Guardian(s) did not graduate with a 4-year degree;
- Pell Grant recipient;
- Have a documented learning or physical disability (registered with the office of Accessibility services).
