Northern Arizona University has been awarded a TRIO Student Support Services grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue its program through August 2020.
The grant award will be $296,273 annually, totaling about $1,481,365, and will serve 240 first-generation, low-income students or students with disabilities each year. This is in addition to institutional support of approximately 200 more students.
TRIO is a set of federally funded college opportunity programs that motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds in their pursuit of a college degree. TRIO Student Support Services at NAU is one of nearly 1,000 programs in the country and has been providing assistance and services to first-generation, low-income and students with disabilities since 1985.
“We provide a lot of one-on-one assistance to help students achieve their goals and graduate from NAU,” said Wendy Bruun, director of First-Generation Programs and Initiatives at NAU. “This grant will ensure continuity of services for continuing students as well as invite new participants to join the program.”
Program services are free and include peer or professional mentoring; access to regular tutoring appointments or private tutors for upper-division courses; workshops on time management, paying for college, personal strengths and campus resources; guidance on academic, career and personal issues; and assistance in graduate school preparation.
“It’s exciting to know that we will be here to support students for another five years,” Bruun added.
In addition to Student Support Services, NAU is home to four other TRIO programs including Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Talent Search and Educational Opportunity Centers.
