TRIO Scholars Program starts strong

Augustana Magazine — Fall 2021

Augustana launched the first full year of the TRIO Scholars Program in September to bolster the academic, graduation and career success of program participants.

Supported by a $1.3 million TRIO Student Support Services grant from the Department of Education, the five-year program provides services to income-eligible, first-generation and/or students with documented disabilities.

Dimitrios Jason Stalides leads the program, which is funded to serve 140 Augustana students in order to provide more individualized, comprehensive and holistic attention.

The overall goal? Increase student retention and graduation rates. To do so, the program focuses on academic success and financial literacy coaching and mentoring services, including strengths-based individualized guidance; tutoring for any course, regardless of grade; and 24/7 online tutoring.

TRIO-SSS also offers graduate and professional school guidance, a textbook and technology lending library, and FAFSA completion and scholarship search support.

As President Steve Bahls noted, “We see the TRIO-SSS program as another way we can help improve the upward mobility of students. We are committed to helping all Augie students and providing pathways toward high-demand careers.”