$1.85 million grant to help disadvantaged students

In order to continue providing quality academic support services to disadvantaged students, Portland State has been awarded a $1.85 million five-year federal grant.

The TRIO Student Support Services Grant—funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965—serves to eliminate the barriers imposed upon low-income, first generation and disabled students.

Because of the grant, some 265 students per year will be able to remain at, and presumably graduate from, Portland State through extensive support services provided by a team of academic advisers, according to the program’s website.

“Most students do come to us for advising, but also for a sense of community,” said Linda Liu, the program director. “We have some students come in every day.”

Though the grant does not include direct financial aid for students, it manages to graduate about 40 students per year on the merit of comprehensive scholastic mentoring and

advising.

The scope of this effort is not restricted to the PSU student body. TRIO also manages outreach initiatives to students in local high schools through the Upward Bound program. Active since 1976, Upward Bound encourages prospective college students to prepare for their educational ventures through academic guidance and counseling. The program has been quite successful; over 80 percent of students involved in the program since 1998 are either still in college or have already graduated, according to a press release.

Regarding future initiatives, Student Support Services will expand its staff of advisors, require new students to attend orientation, increase the priority of academic advising and make the declaration of a major program mandatory by the end of a student’s second year.

In keeping with other ethnically-based support services on campus—including the Native American Student Community Center—TRIO services for Latino students will see expansion this fall.

According to Liu, it is important that students apply while space is still available.

 “Don’t wait too long to try to get help,” she said.