Lake land college trio SSS project: preparing underserved students for postsecondary and career success

TRIO Student Support Services Project Grant Summary

Lake Land College 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 (SSS) Program (CFDA 84.042). This award funds comprehensive support services designed to enhance postsecondary educational outcomes for disadvantaged college students, including low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities enrolled at the institution. The program delivers targeted interventions to increase student retention and graduation rates, improve academic performance, enhance financial literacy, and facilitate successful transfer pathways from two-year to four-year institutions.

The funded project operates at Lake Land College's Mattoon, Illinois campus and aligns with the federal program's core objectives to increase postsecondary education access, affordability, and completion for underserved student populations. As a public institution with demonstrated expertise in supporting disadvantaged students through multiple federal initiatives, Lake Land College will utilize this one-year project grant to provide direct support services that strengthen student academic potential and overall success in higher education, consistent with TRIO SSS Program requirements for continuation awards based on evidence of meeting grant conditions and substantial progress toward project objectives.