FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 30, 2020
STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State University has been awarded $1.3 million in federal TRIO grants to provide assistance for 140 Tarleton students who are pursuing their degree on the Stephenville campus.
The Student Support Services grant is awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to provide academic and other support to first-generation and PELL Grant eligible students to increase retention and graduation rates, enabling them to earn their diploma on time and with minimal college debt.
Students participating in Student Support Services receive tutoring, academic coaching, mentoring, and financial planning. In addition to academic support services, SSS provides assistance in preparing for a competitive job market or pursuit of a graduate degree. Services are free but students must apply and meet eligibility requirements. The program officially launches on Thursday, Nov. 12.
“This is an amazing opportunity for first-generation Tarleton students,” said Jenny Watts, Director of TRIO Programs at Tarleton. “As a first-generation college student who paid for college through grants and student loans, I understand the barriers our students face in earning a college degree.
“Having a team of college advisers to help you navigate everything from choosing the right college major to preparing you for your first professional job interview is inspiring. It’s like having your own college adviser who helps you from the minute you step on campus until you walk across the graduation stage.”
With the addition of Student Support Services, Tarleton now has three TRIO programs. Tarleton’s Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search programs have a long history of serving area high school students. In total, Tarleton TRIO Programs now assists 600 high school students and 140 college students earn college degrees.
For more information, contact Watts at 254-968-9369 or [email protected].
Tarleton, founding member of The Texas A&M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven education marked by academic innovation and a dedication to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders. It offers degree programs to more than 14,000 students at Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian, RELLIS Academic Alliance in Bryan, and online, emphasizing real-world learning experiences that address societal needs while maintaining its core values of tradition, integrity, civility, excellence, leadership and service.
Contact: Phil Riddle
817-484-4415
[email protected]
