The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Greenville Technical College (GTC) $1,955,285 in funding over a five-year period for the TRIO Student Support Services program.
GTC has received this grant funding for 40 years, with the program established in 1975 under the original direction of Greenville County Council member Lottie Gibson. The project has become well-known within the college and the community for its ability to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The TRIO Student Support Services program is aimed at removing barriers to success, offering many people who come from low-income families as first generation college students a greater chance of overcoming obstacles. College students receive help and support that can motivate them and assist them as they work to complete a degree.
Students who seek assistance from Student Support Services are more than twice as likely to remain in college than those students from similar backgrounds who did not participate in the program.
“We are pleased that the U.S. Department of Education continues to fund this program,” said Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College. “TRIO has shown strong results in eliminating obstacles and in helping us improve access and success in the Upstate.”