The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Westminster College a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling more than $1.3 million to enhance college retention and graduation rates among first-generation college students, students with significant financial need and those with disabilities.

The College will receive $272,364 over the next five years for the continuation of its TRIO SSS program—TRIO Scholars—which offers targeted support and resources to help eligible students successfully navigate college and earn their degrees. 

“I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue the TRIO team’s incredibly important work at Westminster,” said program director Erik Austin. “The students we serve face multiple obstacles to their academic, personal and professional success, and we look forward to providing proven, data-driven support and coaching for our TRIO scholars as they work to achieve their goals and prepare for life after college.”

Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial and economic literacy education, scholarship guidance, career exploration and preparation, personal and academic counseling and mentoring and unique career and educational workshops and trips, TRIO empowers students to overcome barriers to success. These comprehensive supports make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree or successfully transfer, with the lowest possible debt.

Thirty percent of enrolled Westminster students are identified having significant financial need, 25 percent are first-generation college students and 12 percent have disclosed a disability. Westminster’s TRIO Scholars program is funded to work with 140 students annually and currently supports three full-time staff members—a director, an assistant director and a lead adviser.

Since its launch in 2000, Westminster’s TRIO program has served 290 students, many of whom stay in the program throughout their four years at the College. Austin noted, based on the federal 2024 TRIO Annual Performance Report, the TRIO Scholars program is making a measurable impact: 92% of participants persist from year to year on their path to a degree, and approximately 98% of TRIO students maintain good academic standing.

Although TRIO has made meaningful progress in supporting students, the need remains strong. According to Austin, 48% of Westminster students are eligible for the TRIO Scholars program. These students often face a range of challenges that can impact their academic success, including low motivation, limited familiarity with campus resources, difficulty processing academic information and anxiety about academic performance.

TRIO SSS began in 1965 under the Title IV of the Higher Education Act and is one of eight federal TRIO programs designed to identify, assist and provide services to those from a variety of disadvantaged backgrounds.

For more information about Westminster’s TRIO Scholars program, please contact Austin at austined@westminster.edu.

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