Trio student support services-science, technology, engineering, and math (stem) and health science

Normandale Community College received a $272,364 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education under the TRIO Student Support Services program (CFDA 84.042), awarded September 25, 2025, with completion targeted for September 24, 2026. This award funds comprehensive supportive services designed to enhance retention and graduation rates for disadvantaged college students, with a specific focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and health science disciplines. The program delivers on-campus tutoring, academic advising, career counseling, financial aid assistance, and educational workshops targeting low-income students, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities.

The TRIO SSS program at Normandale Community College serves to increase student success in postsecondary education and facilitate transfer pathways from two-year to four-year institutions. As part of the broader federal TRIO initiative, this award supports an institutional climate conducive to student achievement while improving financial and economic literacy. The grant represents one component of the Office of Postsecondary Education's ongoing commitment to expand educational opportunity, with typical SSS programs serving 100–300 students annually across participating institutions nationwide.