Great Falls, Montana- The US Department of Education has selected the University of Providence to receive a five-year student support grant, of which $209,091 has been awarded for the first year. This grant will help provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with basic college requirements, and motivate students toward the successful completion of their postsecondary education. Student Support Services (SSS) projects also may provide grant aid to current SSS participants who are receiving Federal Pell Grants. The goal of SSS is to increase the college retention and graduation rates of its participants.
UP’s TRiO Student Support Services Director Greg Stivers states, “Service to others is part of what makes University of Providence so special. Renewal of the TRIO grant enables us to continue the mission of Service that the Sisters of Providence started.” The University of Providence’s SSS program operates under the TRIO program, which was established in the mid-1980s. According to the Council for Opportunity in Education, “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. More than 800,000 low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities — from sixth grade through college graduation — are served by over 3,100 programs nationally. TRIO programs provide academic tutoring, personal counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and other supports necessary for educational access and retention. TRIO programs provide direct support services for students and relevant training for directors and staff”.
UP’s new grant will run from September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2025, and will help fund three full-time positions and support 140 students each school year. The grant will also help purchase laptops or other technology to help perhaps the most vulnerable students on campus succeed in online education. Stivers noted that “we are grateful for the continuation of the grant and look forward to serving students for another five years.”
The University of Providence is a private Catholic university located in Great Falls, Montana. Founded in 1932, the University includes both a School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and a School of Health Professions.
