It鈥痺as 1980. Our department, then called鈥痶he鈥疧ffice of Minority Affairs,鈥痟ad just鈥痳eceived a new grant award from the U.S. Department of Education. The UW鈥痟ad won a new opportunity for students from鈥痚conomically disadvantaged鈥痓ackgrounds, students with disabilities, and students who are the first in their families to鈥痯ursue 4-year degrees. Three hundred鈥痵tudents from this population鈥痺ould now have access to鈥痟olistic advising, targeted instruction and tutoring, and innovative co-curricular opportunities to help them thrive and grow through the Husky experience and ultimately earn their鈥疊achelor鈥檚鈥痙egrees. TRIO Student Support Services鈥痟ad鈥痑rrived at鈥痶he UW.
Today, 40 years later, the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity鈥痠s pleased to announce鈥痶hat鈥痠ts鈥疶RIO-Student Support Services鈥痯rogram鈥痟as鈥痓een awarded renewal of鈥痶wo grants, supporting both a TRIO-SSS鈥疪egular鈥痑nd鈥痑鈥疶RIO-SSS鈥疭TEM program. The U.S. Department of Education awards鈥痶otal鈥�$3.86 million over the next five years.鈥�$2.56 million鈥痺ill鈥痜und services鈥痵upporting鈥�300 students in the鈥疪egular鈥痯rogram,鈥痑nd鈥�$1.3 million鈥痺ill鈥痜und services for鈥�120 students in the鈥疭TEM-focused鈥痯rogram.
Beyond鈥痯roviding鈥痟olistic鈥痑dvising and instructional support, TRIO-SSS鈥痮ffers program participants a welcoming community where they can鈥痜ind belonging on a campus where they might easily feel like outsiders. For instance, first year program participants can take the TRIO-SSS orientation鈥痵eminars that鈥痟elp students feel included in a鈥疷W鈥痗ommunity鈥痺hile they are鈥痡ust starting their鈥痗ollege鈥痡ourney.鈥疘n addition,鈥� 91探花TRIO-SSS offers鈥痑 range of events and鈥痳esources that are tailored to program participants鈥� needs,鈥痠ncluding鈥痜inancial literacy workshops, internship opportunities,鈥痑nd a lab class that teaches bench research skills.
Participants also鈥痓uild鈥痵ocial connections鈥痑nd affirm鈥痶heir鈥痠dentities鈥痓y鈥痵haring cultural knowledge at鈥痯rogram sponsored events. Past鈥痑ctivities鈥痟ave included鈥痑 class on how to make spring rolls鈥痑nd鈥痑 hike up to Rattlesnake Ledge.鈥� 91探花TRIO-SSS鈥痯rogramming鈥痩eads鈥痵tudents鈥痶o鈥痯articipate in an inclusive community where they feel safe and appreciated鈥痑t the鈥痷niversity.鈥疭tudents taking the TRIO-SSS writing seminar for new Huskies, for example, report鈥痜eeling welcomed into a community鈥痺here they鈥痑re accepted and understood.鈥� Expressing this sense of belonging,鈥痁avannah鈥痺rites that TRIO-SSS offers her the opportunity to be 鈥渟urrounded by people who make me feel included鈥濃�痑nd鈥痵he鈥痵ays,鈥�淚 feel at ease knowing that I can be myself.鈥濃�� Her classmate, Evy, adds that with TRIO-SSS,鈥�淚 don鈥檛 feel like I am walking alone.鈥疘 feel empowered and that I can do anything regardless of race or ethnicity.鈥�
As the new 5-year cycle begins, the TRIO-SSS tradition鈥痗ontinues strong鈥痑t the UW,鈥痑nd like鈥痁avannah, future low-income, first generation students and students with disabilities will be able to say,鈥�淚 have people around me who will empower me and support me.鈥�