A post-secondary program that provides educational services and cultural experiences to under-represented students empowering them to achieve lifelong success

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges District 529 received a $361,922 Project Grant award effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026, from the Office of Postsecondary Education under the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program (CFDA 84.042). The program delivers comprehensive educational services and cultural experiences designed to enhance postsecondary outcomes for disadvantaged students, including low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities enrolled at the institution's campuses in Olney, Illinois.

The funded initiative provides supportive services focused on increasing student retention and graduation rates, facilitating transfers from two-year to four-year institutions, and improving academic potential and financial literacy. Through this TRIO SSS award, the institution strengthens its capacity to support underrepresented student populations in successfully completing their postsecondary education programs and achieving long-term academic and professional success.