Sonoma State University was awarded more than $4 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Education last week that will be directed to helping improve retention and graduation rates among low-income and first-generation college students.
The grant money was awarded through the Department of Education’s TRIO programs, which refer to eight different programs that support education and economic improvement in higher education.
The TRIO programs got their name from the original three grant programs, which were created by Congress in 1964, 1965 and finally in 1968 when the Higher Education Act of 1965 was amended to include the third. Future expansions targeted assistance to veterans and funding math education.
Sonoma State University received money for two TRIO programs: its Student Support Services program, and its Multilingual Achievers Program.
The Student Services money will support 350 low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities by providing comprehensive support including tutoring, navigating financial aid and graduation requirements, career services and more, according to a news release from the University.
The Multilingual Achievers grant will support 140 students in similar situations whose first language was not English.
Sonoma State University said in a statement that the Student Support Services grant program had helped 12,000 students at the school since 1989. The Multilingual Achievers Program has supported 1,400 students since 2015.
“This grant allows Sonoma State University to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all students — regardless of background — can thrive academically and personally,” said Rose Calzontzi, director of the University’s TRIO Student Support Services. “Student Support Services provides wraparound services that help equip our students with the tools to not only stay in college, but also graduate with the skills and confidence to lead in their communities and careers.”