Student Support Services at Northwest awarded five-year funding renewal

Northwest students participated in activities during a celebration of first-generation students co-sponsored by TRIO. (Photo by Chloe Timmons/Northwest Missouri State University)

The U.S. Department of Education has renewed its funding award to continue Northwest Missouri State University’s Student Support Services program for another five years.

The funding award allocates $361,922 annually to the program for a total of $1.81 million through 2030. The grant will help Northwest serve 180 students annually during the five-year term.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, it received 1,702 eligible applications for new grant awards through the SSS program competition, and Northwest was one of 962 applications to receive funding.

“The renewal of this grant is vital to our ongoing commitment to ensuring that all students – particularly those who are first-generation, income-eligible or living with disabilities – have access to the support and resources they need to thrive,” said Dr. Shay Malone, who oversees the programs at Northwest in her role as assistant vice president of institutional excellence and global engagement. “This funding empowers us to continue removing barriers, fostering a sense of belonging, and helping students achieve both academic and personal success.”

Student Support Services provides academic and social support throughout the academic year for Northwest students who are classified as first-generation, low-income, receiving a learning accommodation, or a combination of those classifications.

It is one of eight federally recognized educational outreach programs, known together as TRIO, for low-income, first-generation college students and students with a documented disability. Since launching at Northwest in 1986, TRIO programs have promoted educational opportunities while assisting students in their personal journey of earning a higher education degree. The partnerships TRIO has within the Northwest community assist with addressing the unique needs of academically capable individuals who are first-generation students and come from families with limited income.

Northwest offers three federally recognized TRIO educational outreach programs – Student Support Services, Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math-Science – that provide valuable, supportive services to students with disadvantaged backgrounds to successfully enter college and earn degrees.

For information about Northwest TRIO programs, visit www.nwmissouri.edu/trio/.