Trio student support services/classic

Southern Maine Community College (SMCC), operating under the Maine Community College System, 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. The award funds the TRIO Student Support Services/Classic program (CFDA 84.042), which delivers comprehensive supportive services designed to enhance academic outcomes and increase completion rates for low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities enrolled at the institution.

Under this award, SMCC provides targeted interventions including academic advising, financial literacy training, tutoring, and student success coaching to disadvantaged college students. The program aims to increase student retention and graduation rates while facilitating transfers from two-year to four-year institutions. These services support students in realizing their full academic potential and successfully completing their postsecondary education programs. The one-year project period allows SMCC to implement evidence-based support strategies tailored to the needs of its disadvantaged student population, contributing to broader institutional goals of expanding postsecondary education access and affordability.