Campus to receive $1.1 million grant for student support

Rep. Glenn "G.T." Thompson (R-Pa.) has announced that the U.S. Department of Education has awarded a five-year, $1.1 million grant to the Pitt-Bradford for the TRIO Student Support Services program.

The first-year award is $231,098 to fund the TRIO SSS program beginning Sept. 1. The program provides individualized academic, financial and career coaching and services to students who are first generation, low income or disabled to help them succeed in college.

"Our campus community is thrilled to be selected for the grant award from the many colleges and universities nationwide that applied for funding," said Dr. Livingston Alexander, president of Pitt-Bradford.

"Our ultimate aim in recruiting students to our campus is to ensure they graduate and position themselves for great jobs or graduate and professional school opportunities. The Student Support Services program will give every single student on our campus the opportunity to experience academic and career success. We're grateful to the U.S. Department of Education and to Congressman Thompson for his support."

Thompson said, "These funds, awarded on a competitive basis, are a testament to the university's proven track record of supporting students from enrollment through graduation."

The TRIO SSS Program at Pitt-Bradford will use the funds to support 160 students.

This is the third time Pitt-Bradford has received a five-year TRIO SSS grant. James Baldwin, vice president of enrollment management, will oversee the grant. TRIO personnel are Carma Horner, interim manager of the program; Kim Marcellin, retention specialist; Erik Austin, academic advisor; and Stacie Salerno, administrative assistant. Ann Robinson, director of sponsored programs, also helped secure the new grant.

For more information on Pitt-Bradford's TRIO SSS program, visit www.upb.pitt.edu/triosss/.

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