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JERSEY CITY, N.J. | ��è�ƽ�� (NJCU) has received a federal Student Support Services (SSS) grant worth over $1.67 million to continue the institution’s support of first-generation and low-income students, and students with disabilities, the United States Department of Education has announced. The federal SSS grant is awarded once every five years. The is valued at $1,675,550 — an award of $335,110 per year.

The SSS program at NJCU, known as the TRiO Learning Community (TLC), has been in existence for 23 years, assisting hundreds of students with earning a degree. The six-year graduation rate of 85% exceeds the national average. The SSS program at NJCU provides an array of comprehensive services, including academic advising, peer tutoring and coaching, college success workshops, financial aid filing advice, financial literacy, mentoring, and other forms of assistance.

Such services seek to remove barriers, enhance academic success, and make it more likely that students will graduate with the lowest possible debt. Many SSS alumni have gone on to great success, including Emmy, Tony, and Academy-Award winning actress Viola Davis, U.S. Representative Gwendolyn Moore of Wisconsin’s 4th District, and Franklin Chang-Diaz, the first Hispanic astronaut.

are Federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post baccalaureate programs. TRIO also includes a training program for directors and staff of TRIO projects.

SSS began in 1968 and is one of the eight federal “TRIO” programs authorized by the Higher Education Act to help students succeed in higher education. Recognizing that first-generation and low-income experience significant difficulties understanding the higher education landscape, SSS serves as their support system. Higher education requires students to make complex decisions to ensure success and the SSS program helps program participants remove obstacles preventing them from thriving academically. The TLC program at ��è�ƽ�� incorporates proven student development practices and academic support initiatives to bolster their skills and confidence.  

“I owe my entire growth at NJCU to the TRiO Learning Community Program,” said Alan Cruz, a junior TRiO student at NJCU pursuing a degree in business with a concentration in sports management. “They inspired me to dive into a leadership role and reminded me that my voice counts. The skills and lessons I have learned from the program are the reason I am excelling as a student leader and maintaining a 3.81 GPA. I am forever grateful for the experience that the TLC Program has provided me with so far and am super excited for it to continue throughout my college career.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the systemic inequality and financial hardship that prevents talented students from succeeding in college,” said Maureen Hoyler, president of the nonprofit Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington, D.C., dedicated to furthering college opportunities for low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities. “Student Support Services is needed now more than ever.”

For more than 50 years, the Student Support Services program has made significant contributions to individuals and society by providing a broad range of services to help students succeed. The recipients of the grants, depending on the specific program, are institutions of higher education, public and private agencies and organizations including community-based organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth and secondary schools. Combinations of such institutions, agencies, and organizations may also apply for grants. These entities plan, develop and carry out the services for students. While individual students are served by these entities, they may not apply for grants under these programs. Additionally, in order to be served by one of these programs, a student must be eligible to receive services and be accepted into a funded project that serves the institution or school that student is attending or the area in which the student lives.

��è�ƽ�� NJCU

��è�ƽ�� is an institution of higher learning with an audacious goal: the development of our students, our city, our communities, our state, and the world beyond. We are a game-changing force for our students and their families. Whether our students are enrolled in one of our 47 undergraduate and 30 graduate programs, NJCU provides an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally supportive faculty—all of which prepares them to be critical thinkers in a global landscape.

We’re also changing the game for our city, our communities, and our state. As the educational anchor institution in Jersey City, we’ve established partnerships to ensure the area’s growth directly benefits our students and community members. We seek to improve the lives of everyone in the Garden State, whether creating a home for the arts, bringing educational programs to K-12 students, offering bachelor’s degrees in partnership with community colleges, or providing professional development opportunities for adults.

At NJCU, we’re not just educating minds, we’re nourishing souls and lifting communities. We’re changing the game.

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Contact:
Ira Thor, Senior Director of University Communications and Media Relations | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301