JOHNSON CITY – The U.S. Department of Education has announced that East Tennessee State University will receive the federally funded Student Support Services STEM and Health Sciences grant, a competitive award worth more than $1.3 million over the next five years.
The grant supports an additional 120 students pursuing degrees in a variety of fields,
from allied health to surveying.
“We are incredibly honored to serve an additional 120 science, technology, engineering
and math STEM and health sciences students and support them on their way to their
first bachelor’s degree at East Tennessee State University,” said Dr. Ronnie Gross,
executive director of ETSU’s TRIO Programs, which includes the Student Support Services program.
The grant will assist college students who are low-income and first-generation, as
well as students with disabilities. The array of services the grant will provide is
comprehensive. It includes academic tutoring, career exploration and planning, career
pre-internship opportunities, faculty mentoring, financial literacy and financial
aid advice.
Every five years, colleges must write new and continuation TRIO Student Support Services
proposals and compete for federal funds to support students working to complete their
first bachelor’s degree. ETSU’s Student Support Services, on campus since 1976, currently
serves 225 undergraduate students.
“A significant number of ETSU students and many faculty and staff are first-generation
college students,” said Gross. “I am grateful for the campus-wide support of the TRIO-SSS
program, and I am incredibly proud of the SSS staff and their commitment to serve
ETSU students.”
TRIO, federally funded outreach and student service programs, offers potential and
current ETSU students a range of assistance that includes financial aid advice and
help for veterans.
To learn more about TRIO, visit etsu.edu/provost/trio/. To learn more about Student Support Services, visit etsu.edu/provost/trio/sss/.