BRADENTON, FL (Sept. 23, 2025)—The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) awarded a TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program grant, totaling slightly over $1.36 million, to State College of Florida, Sarasota-Manatee. The funding will improve retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation, and disabled students at SCF.

Since 2020, SCF’s TRIO SSS program has supported more than 280 students with tutoring, financial aid assistance, scholarship guidance, career exploration, counseling, mentoring, workshops, and university tours. This comprehensive support helps students stay in school, graduate, and transfer with less debt.

“At SCF, we meet students where they are, and this grant strengthens our ability to deliver student-centered services through dedicated faculty and staff,” said SCF President Gregory. “This focused support helps remove barriers so more students can stay on course, graduate, and move confidently toward their future.”

Nationally, TRIO SSS has a proven track record. A 2019 U.S. DOE evaluation found that students in TRIO SSS at two-year institutions were 47% more likely to earn an associate degree or transfer, and those at four-year schools were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree compared to peers not in the program.

“TRIO programs generally and TRIO SSS, in particular, transform students from the least resourced backgrounds into college graduates,” said Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington, D.C.

TRIO SSS is one of eight federal TRIO programs created under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to remove barriers to higher education. Since 1968, the program has helped millions of students graduate and contribute to their communities and the economy.

For more information, visit SCF.edu/TRIO or email Kristen L. Anderson, TRIO SSS project director, at AndersKL@SCF.edu.