Avila Now

August 14, 2015

Avila University awarded TRIO Student Support Services Program Grant

Students pose for group photo
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Avila has been awarded a 2015-2020 TRIO Student Support Service (SSS) Program grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

KANSAS CITY – Avila University has been awarded a 2015-2020 TRIO Student Support Service (SSS) Program grant of $1,000,000 or $220,000 per year from the U.S. Department of Education.

The funding will allow Avila to better serve low-income and first-generation students who demonstrate academic need and are committed to enhancing their academic success. This assistance aligns with university’s mission, the pillars in Avila’s Strategic Plan for Student Success, and the Quality Initiative being pursued under the Higher Learning Commission, Avila’s accrediting agency.

Avila University’s program, “Inspired to Achieve: A Student Support Services Program”, will serve 150 Avila students each year with peer and professional tutoring, academic advising, learning communities, mentoring, cultural and social activities and career exploration. Anticipated outcomes include raising retention rates, graduation rates and thus, increasing a student’s success in life.

This is Avila’s inaugural TRIO SSS grant. To receive funding, Avila University had to go through an extremely competitive process, where only 17% of these grants are awarded to new programs.

University president, Ronald Slepitza, Ph.D., CSJA, humbly responds, “I am excited for the opportunities the TRIO Support Service Program grant will afford the students we are most called to serve.”

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