Central arizona college's trio student support services (SSS) project will serve 160 SSS-eligible students annually

Central Arizona College, a division of Pinal County Community College District, received a $286,109 Project Grant award effective September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026, from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education under the TRIO Student Support Services Program (CFDA 84.042). The grant funds comprehensive support services designed to serve 160 TRIO Student Support Services-eligible students annually at the college's Coolidge, Arizona campus. The program targets low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities to enhance their academic success, increase retention and graduation rates, and facilitate successful transfers from two-year to four-year institutions.

The services provided under this award include academic advising, financial literacy education, career counseling, and other supportive interventions aimed at improving student outcomes in postsecondary education. As a continuation of Central Arizona College's existing TRIO Student Support Services initiative, this grant represents the college's ongoing commitment to supporting disadvantaged student populations through federal TRIO programming. The award is part of the broader TRIO Student Support Services Program, which annually funds similar projects across higher education institutions nationwide to enhance postsecondary access and completion for disadvantaged students.