Promoting SSS student success through holistic & integrative advising-coaching

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) received a $272,364 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 supports the implementation of a holistic and integrative advising-coaching initiative designed to promote student success among SSS-eligible populations at the institution.

The grant funds comprehensive supportive services targeting low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities at MCLA, with the primary objectives of increasing student retention and graduation rates. The SSS program provides academic advising, financial literacy education, coaching, and other support services to enhance the academic potential and postsecondary completion outcomes of disadvantaged students. Given MCLA's student demographics—47% first-generation college attendees and 23.4% students of color—this funding directly supports the college's mission to serve traditionally underrepresented populations and remove barriers to educational success and degree completion.