Carl Sandburg College and Knox College were both among Illinois schools who learned they would be receiving funds through the TRIO grant. The TRIO Student Support Services program helps first generation and income eligible students get resources to help them graduate from college.
Knox College was awarded roughly $302,000 each year for five years, totaling $1.5 million and Sandburg received $220,000 annually, totaling $1.1 million.
Sandburg TRIO SSS Program Director Autumn Scott tells WGIL that schools compete every five years for the funding and nearly 1,700 schools applied.
“Each program competes every five years to be re-funded and so the competition is hosted by the Department of Education and all the applicants submit a grant proposal on how they will serve their students,” says Scott. “This year there were approximately 1,700 applications across the country, and about 900 of those were funded.”
Scott says through this grant, Sandburg is able to serve about 140 students annually. Knox TRIO Achievement Program Director Risa Lopez says at Knox they will be able to serve 185 each year, a 20 student increase from previous years.
Lopez says schools that meet their objectives of good academic standing, graduation and student retention help schools maintain the grant each term.
