WSU Tri-Cities

Emergency Messages as of 12:32 PM, Mon. Jul 28

No information currently posted.

logo

Subscribe to receive FlashAlert messages from WSU Tri-Cities.

News Release

WSU Tri-Cities Receives Federal TRIO Grants To Help Students Overcome Barriers To Completion -07/22/25

Richland, WA — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Washington State University, Tri-Cities, two federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grants totaling $2,723,640 to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities for the next five years.

These awards mark the continuation of 15 years of TRIO SSS services on the campus. The two grants, SSS Classic and STEM, have served hundreds of TRIO scholars, helping them continue their education, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers.

Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling, and mentoring, TRIO SSS empowers students to overcome barriers to success. These comprehensive supports make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree or successfully transfer, with the lowest possible debt.

Anna Plemmons, associate vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at WSU Tri-Cities considers TRIO to be a crucial component of the campus’ holistic student support strategy. “I have witnessed firsthand how TRIO works, and I look forward to seeing the positive and lasting impact these two grants have on our campus and our community over the next five years," she said.

“We are dedicated to our scholars’ success, and TRIO plays a critical role in empowering and unlocking that potential. Our scholars are the embodiment of resilience and determination,” Alondra Castaneda, director of TRIO at WSU Tri-Cities.

Students in the program say they appreciate the resources that are available to them. “I benefit the most from knowing I can reach out to a specific person (on the TRIO Team) about anything, and they are on my side and willing to work hard to find answers for me,” one student said.

Nationally, the SSS program has a proven track record. According to a rigorous 2019 evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, students in SSS at two-year institutions were 48% more likely to earn an associate’s degree or transfer to a four-year school, and students at four-year institutions were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree compared to similar 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. “This vital program makes all the difference for nearly a million students each year across the country.”

SSS is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to remove social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education. Since its inception in 1968, SSS has helped millions of low-income, first-generation students graduate from college and contribute to their communities and the economy. Notable alumni of the TRIO Student Support Services program include Michael Cashman, Town Supervisor of Plattsburgh, NY; former NASA astronaut José Hernández; and Cheryl Johnson, 36th Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.

For more information about TRIO Student Support Services at Washington State University, Tri-Cities, visit https://tricities.wsu.edu/trio/apply-now/ or contact Alondra Castaneda at alondra.castaneda@wsu.edu.

About the Federal TRIO Programs

TRIO programs (Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Veterans Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program) help students overcome academic, economic, and social barriers to higher education. TRIO services include assistance in choosing a college and tutoring; personal, financial, and career counseling; assistance in applying to college; workplace and college visits; special instruction in reading, writing, study skills, and mathematics; assistance in applying for financial aid; and academic assistance in high school or assistance to reenter high school or college.