Southern Adventist University received a $272,364 Project Grant awarded on September 25, 2025, by the Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education under the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program (CFDA 84.042). The grant period extends through September 24, 2026, and supports comprehensive student support services designed to enhance retention, graduation rates, and overall student success. 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 at the university's Collegedale, Tennessee campus.
The SSS Program at Southern Adventist University focuses on fostering an institutional climate that supports the success of disadvantaged and underrepresented student populations, including students with limited English proficiency and other disconnected students. These supportive services are intended to increase student retention and graduation rates, facilitate transfer pathways to four-year institutions, and enhance financial and economic literacy among participating students. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution, Southern Adventist University leverages this federal investment to strengthen postsecondary education outcomes and institutional capacity for serving vulnerable student populations.