Student support services, trio scholars

The University of Maine System, operating through its Augusta campus, received a $566,531 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education under the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program (CFDA 84.042) effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. This grant supports comprehensive student support services designed to enhance postsecondary educational outcomes for disadvantaged students, including low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities.

The award funds services that increase student retention and graduation rates while facilitating transfers from two-year to four-year institutions. The TRIO SSS program provides supportive interventions that strengthen academic potential, financial literacy, and overall student success in higher education completion. These services are delivered at the University of Maine at Augusta location and represent part of the broader federal TRIO Programs initiative, which annually supports approximately 90-180 new and continuation awards nationwide to higher education institutions serving disadvantaged student populations.