TRIO SSSP Program awarded $1.7 million grant

The TRIO Student Support Services Program at Brandeis has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will support ongoing and new initiatives for 150 students who are the first in their family to go to college and low income students.

"We see ourselves as a home base of support for the students we serve," said program director Elena Lewis, MA’13. "Our goal is to support them from the moment they enter Brandeis through graduation. This grant, won with the support of the Provost Office, allows us to continue our work, and to grow."

Elena Lewis

Federal TRIO Student Support Services grants fund programs that help college students who are low income, first generation or students with disabilities. Its goals are to provide services to promote retention, good academic standing, and graduation of its participants. The program encourages students’ achievement by providing advising, academic tutoring, financial literacy education, career and college mentoring, help in choosing courses, and other forms of assistance. 

At Brandeis, the funding will allow the SSSP to continue collaborations with campus partners including with the STEM-focused Galaxy Program, English Language Programs, and Student Financial Services. It will also fund new endeavors including a collaborative initiative with the Hiatt Career Center focusing on offering students career guidance for high-demand fields.

Housed within Academic Services, the main academic advising hub for undergraduates, Brandeis SSSP fosters students’ campus connections and has supported over 650 students at Brandeis since it was established in 1990. SSSP is a diverse community of scholars who engage in leadership across campus by serving on the program’s Student Leadership Board, its peer mentor team, and they are active in campus clubs and organizations.

The Brandeis program was one of about 1100 to receive funding nationwide out of more than 2500 applicants, and it is one of the few programs at a private institution in New England. 

Along with funding from the Department of Education, the TRIO SSSP at Brandeis is supported by institutional funds. 

“One of Brandeis’ founding values is a commitment to social justice. Our program exemplifies this commitment, and I am so pleased to have received this grant to support our students, who are critical to the fabric of the university," Lewis said. “It ensures they will receive support for years to come, especially during these unprecedented times.”