Bowie State University News October 1, 2010 Bowie State Receives $1.5 Million Renewed Funding TRIO/ Student Support Services Program Bowie State University was awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Education in renewed funding for its TRIO/Student Support Services program. The purpose of the Student Support Services Program (SSS) is to provide academic and other support services to low-income, first-generation or disabled college students to increase students' retention and graduation rates, facilitate their transfer from two-year to four-year colleges, and foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of low-income and first generation college students and individuals with disabilities. "We are extremely pleased to receive the TRIO funding," said Stacey Franklin Jones, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Bowie State University. "Our program serves 200 undergraduates each year and continues to play an integral role in empowering students to achieve success in a postsecondary environment." The TRIO/SSS educational outreach program provides opportunities for academic development, assists students in meeting basic college requirements, and helps motivate students to successfully complete their postsecondary degrees. The $1.5 million competitive grant will be dispersed over five years, and will provide academic and personal support for first generation, low-income, and disabled students. TRIO/Student Support Services was introduced in the 1960's as part of the Higher Education Act and launched at Bowie State University in 1976. The TRIO program has provided tutoring, counseling, mentoring, financial guidance, and cultural experiences to Bowie State students. "This is great news for Bowie State University, our staff, and most especially for the students we serve," said Monica Turner, TRIO/Student Support Services Director. "Our program is expanding its reach this year by offering incoming TRIO students the opportunity to participate in a thematically linked learning community. We are invested in partnering with faculty to inspire students to love learning and see themselves as agents of change in the community. We want students to experience the advantages rather than disadvantages of their backgrounds. The fact that they are first-generation students or from low income backgrounds does not define who they are, or who they can be. It does not have to be a limitation." Bowie State was recently recognized in the Center for Student Opportunity's 2011 College Access & Opportunity Guide, a comprehensive college guidebook designed to help low-income, first-generation college-bound students make their college dreams a reality. For more information about BSU's TRIO program, click here<https://bsubridge.bowiestate.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.bowiestate.edu/academics/support_services/sss/>. Meagan Johnson, a Bowie State University student majoring in communications, was a contributing writer for this press release. About Bowie State University Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic socioeconomic backgrounds who seek a high quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The University places special emphasis on the science, technology, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of liberal arts. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/meeting-form.html for the October 24-26, 2010 HBCU Library Alliance 4th Membership Meeting and the "Conference on Advocacy" pre-conference in Montgomery, AL. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.