Pathways to success: SSS for appalachian students

Southwestern Community College received a $343,191 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. The "Pathways to Success: SSS for Appalachian Students" initiative provides comprehensive supportive services to low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities enrolled at the college. Services are designed to enhance student retention, improve academic performance, increase graduation rates, and facilitate successful transfers to four-year institutions.

The program delivers targeted support services including academic advising, financial literacy instruction, and completion-focused intervention designed to increase the postsecondary educational success of disadvantaged students in the Appalachian region. By providing wraparound support services at the Sylva, North Carolina campus, the college addresses barriers to persistence and completion for its vulnerable student populations, contributing to broader institutional outcomes in student success and educational equity within the region.