USU Awarded Two Federal TRIO: Student Support Services Grants to Support Student Success

LOGAN — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Utah State University two TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grants to improve college retention and graduation rates on the Logan and Blanding campuses.

USU has been awarded $1.8 million for its Logan SSS program and $1.5 million for its Blanding SSS program. These funds will be paid out over the next five years and represent over four decades of continuous awards for USU’s SSS programs.

“We’re deeply grateful for this grant and the opportunity it provides our students. For many, college isn’t just a goal. It’s a life changing dream. This support helps us ensure students don’t just earn a degree but thrive along the way. At USU, we’re committed to empowering them to turn their dreams into reality,” said Kristian Olsen, vice president for residential campuses.

Comprehensive supports provided by TRIO SSS, such as academic tutoring, financial support and scholarship guidance, career exploration, academic success coaching, and mentoring, make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree with the lowest possible debt.

USU’s grant proposal received a perfect score from the Department of Education reviewers.

“This score is a reflection of the high level of commitment to student success found throughout the USU enterprise. When students practice the adult behaviors of help-seeking, networking, and building their learning community, they are much more likely to achieve their academic goals. TRIO teaches students these valuable adult habits,” said Heidi Kesler, executive director for the Center for Academic Belonging & Learning Excellence.

For more information about TRIO Student Support Services see https://www.usu.edu/able/sss/ for USU Logan and https://statewide.usu.edu/blanding/sss/ for USU Blanding.