Kishwaukee College awarded TRIO Grant

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Kishwaukee College a TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant. The grant will provide the College with $1.1 million over a five-year program cycle. The award for the first year of the grant is $220,000. Sedgwick Harris, Vice President of Student Services at the College, stated, “This is the first time in the College’s 47 year history that we have applied and received the TRIO grant. We are thrilled to have gained the Student Support Services award and are very excited to have another solid program to assist our students in being successful at Kish.”

At Kishwaukee College, the TRIO Student Support Services program will be available to first generation college students who meet income eligibility requirements, as well as to students with documented disabilities that impact academic performance and achievement. The Kishwaukee College SSS Program will focus on meeting the three standardized objectives identified by the U.S. Department of Education: persistence, good academic standing, and graduation and transfer with an associate’s degree or certificate within four years.

The program will include tutoring, advisement in postsecondary course selection, information on financial aid and scholarship opportunities, transfer assistance, learning communities, success coaches, career awareness, and job shadowing. Each participating student will undergo a comprehensive needs assessment to develop an individualized Student Success Plan.

Students selected to participate in the program will have access to educational seminars designed to improve their financial and economic literacy, as well as assistance with the application process for admission to four-year colleges and universities. The SSS program may also organize activities and cultural events to provide participating students with additional extra-curricular educational experiences.

The TRIO Student Support Service program at Kishwaukee College also will have the ability to offer Grant Aid. SSS Grant Aid is available in select circumstances to assist those students whose academic progress and retention may be adversely affected by financial challenges. Eligibility for SSS Grant Aid requires that students have qualified for and receive Federal Pell Grants.

The Kishwaukee College TRIO grant is for a five year period, beginning September 1, 2015 and will be distributed annually through August 31, 2020. The Student Support Services Program will be formalized and begin preparation for accepting students during the Fall 2015 semester, with Spring 2016 being the first semester of full program participation. There will be a total of 140 students served each semester in
the program for the duration of the grant.

For more information, contact Sedgwick Harris, Vice President of Student Services, at 815-825-2086, ext. 2490 or at sedgwick.harris@kishwaukeecollege.edu.