TRIO Student Support Services is a federally funded Title IV grant program through the U.S. Department of Education. It is a college program serving first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities. The goal of the program is to foster an institutional climate supportive to the success of eligible participants and increase the retention, graduation, transfer rate, and financial literacy of participants. Big Bend Community College has has a TRIO SSS Classic grant since 1997 and in 2020 added a TRIO SSS STEM grant.
Every year the TRIO SSS Program at BBCC serves 310 eligible Big Bend students (120 STEM). The program is designed to help students find success in college. Participants benefit from academic tutoring, academic monitoring, financial aid assistance (including applying to financial aid and scholarships), success workshops, financial and economic literacy, and academic, transfer, career and personal advising.
To be eligible, students must be a Big Bend student who has graduated from high school and is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at BBCC and who is a U.S. Citizen or US national who meets the residency requirements for Federal student aid. In addition, a student must have academic need, and meet one or more of the following criteria:
- First generation (neither parent or primary caregiver has competed a bachelor’s degree)
- Low-income (as determined by the federal poverty levels)
- Disabled-documented disability (as defined in section 12102 with the Americans Disabilities Act as confirmed by BBCC Accommodations department)
Regardless of the AA degree program these students are strongly supported; however, preference is given to students who have an intent to transfer and are first-generation and low-income or are a student living with a disability. For additional information, please email TRIO_SSS@bigbend.edu or visit our Student Support Services office in 1400 Building or call 509.793.2040.
The BBCC TRIO SSS Program is fully funded (100%) on a five-year grant cycle and must reapply for funding at the end of each cycle. The TRIO Student Support Services Classic grant is funded at $335,053 per year and serves 190 participants. The TRIO Student Support Services, STEM grant is funded at $261,888 per year and serves 120 participants.