Owensboro Community & Technical College will continue providing critical support for first-generation and low-income students, thanks to a $1.36 million federal grant awarded this month through the TRiO Student Support Services program. Applications for the program are being accepted now.
The five-year grant — $272,364 annually — comes from the U.S. Department of Education and will fund services for 144 students each year, according to OCTC officials. The goal is to help students overcome barriers to graduation and transfer to four-year institutions.
“We are very excited to be awarded the funds for continued support of our TRiO program,” Willisams said. “It is a testament to the hard work of the TRiO staff and the strength of the program. Their retention and graduation rates are stellar, and that only proves that they really are helping students succeed. While they do have a limited number of students in TRiO, the programming they offer benefits all of our students who are willing to take advantage of it.”
The program offers academic advising, tutoring, career advising, cultural enrichment activities, and help with applying for financial aid. Becky Hodskins, who has directed OCTC’s TRiO program since 2017, said the goal is to eliminate barriers that may prevent students from completing their studies.
“The goal of our program is to assist in reducing barriers that may hinder students from successfully completing classes, graduating, and/or transferring to a 4-year institution,” Hodskins said.
TRiO staff are currently working to recruit 70 students to replace recent graduates. Applications can be downloaded at owensboro.kctcs.edu/current-students/academic-resources/trio.aspx.
For more information, contact Hodskins at [email protected] or 270-686-4613.
