By BETHANY SHERROW
Assistant News Editor
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — During the next five years, UCM’s TRIO-Student Support Services program will benefit from a federal grant.
Chris Beggs, director of TRIO-SSS, said the program will be using nearly $340,000 each year to provide services to 210 students. The money will be used to pay for computers, software and salaries for tutors and professional employees.
TRIO is a program that provides tutoring, advising and assistance for high-risk students – those needing assistance to stay on track to graduate.
Kamille Greene has been a TRIO-SSS student for four years where she said she’s been able to utilize the TRIO-SSS services like the lab, advising, and tutoring.
“I think that TRIO has been very influential on my college career,” Greene said. “I don’t know what college is without TRIO and I don’t know what I would’ve done without having a safe place that I could go to.”
Beggs said the university assists the program in many ways, including providing facilities, but grant money is needed to continue the work TRIO does.
Every five years, TRIO-SSS must reapply for grant money through the Federal Department of Education.
“We have been on campus for 37 years,” Beggs said. “So they’ve seen what we have done up to this point and know that we’ll continue to do that.”
Specific courses are created for TRIO-SSS students such as Success Strategies, which has recently been redesigned.
Beggs said the class teaches students to discard their fixed mindsets in order to develop a ‘growth mindset.’
“When students meet challenges with a fixed mindset, they do not believe they can accomplish tasks,” he said. “But when they develop a growth mindset they are open to trying new activities.
“I want it to be known that we are the premier service for students who want to come here and graduate.”
Deborah Curtis, provost-chief learning officer said the news of the award is important to UCM.
“The purpose of the TRIO-SSS program is inextricably ties to the university’s mission and has been for nearly four decades,” Curtis said. “We are so proud of our colleagues and their success with this grant process.”