In the summer of 2024, a small group of Union Adventist University staff and administrators put the finishing touches on a proposal for a TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO SSS) grant, sending with it their prayers and hopes to better serve students. After a year of waiting, Union got the good news: the university’s application had scored 113 out 113 possible points. Union was awarded $272,364 annually for the next five years (for a total of $1,361,820).
“It’s been quite a journey,” said Martha Hornung, executive director of Student Success at Union. “With all the changes in Washington, we didn’t know if the grants would still be funded, or even if there would still be a Department of Education.”
Created under the Higher Education Act of 1965, TRIO SSS programs aim to increase college retention and graduation rates among three student groups who are statistically less likely to complete a degree:
- First-generation college students
- Students from low-income families
- Students with disabilities
More than half of Union’s students fit into one or more of these categories — significantly higher than the national average for private colleges. Approximately a third of this year’s incoming class are first-generation students, and Union’s high percentage of students from low-income families earned the university a top-five ranking for social mobility among Midwestern colleges by U.S. News & World Report.
“What we’re learning as we talk to other universities about implementing these grants is that TRIO is a voice for underrepresented students,” said Hornung. “Students who are eager to succeed and eager to learn but may face more challenges than their classmates.”
The TRIO program will offer unique opportunities for participants to grow, gain insights and succeed at Union. They will participate in specialized workshops, develop personalized plans with their coaches, and become eligible to receive emergency need-based financial aid. The federal funds will also allow Union to expand and enhance services already offered for all students — such as free tutoring for all classes, academic and life coaching and career counseling.
Unlike most institutions where students must seek out TRIO services, Union plans to automatically identify eligible students based on data collected during the admissions and registration process rather than waiting for them to self-identify for the program.
A key part of TRIO SSS grants is data collection and assessment, allowing the Department of Education to measure the effectiveness of programs at participating schools in order to share best practices. To track the individual progress of all students in the program, some of the funds will be used to hire a TRIO program director. The grant has also allowed for the creation of an additional full-time life coach position as well as a part-time proctor to better serve students with disabilities.
The grant application set three goals for success. Over the next five years, the university will use the funds to help students participating in the program improve on the following metrics:
- Retention/persistence: increase the percent of participating students who persist from one academic year to the beginning of the next academic year to 90%.
- Good academic standing: 95% of participating students should have a GPA of 2.0 or above.
- Graduation rate: at least 50% of participating students will graduate within six years.
If the program can stay on track with the first two goals, the third should follow naturally, but Hornung points out that increasing these metrics by even a few percentage points will require sustained teamwork across campus.
“Union’s mission has never been to only serve elite students, but our vision is to provide an elite level of support for all students,” Hornung said. “We want students to know that when they choose Union, they are getting resources and a network of people who support them and care about them. They are each a child of God who deserves every opportunity to reach the heights He is calling them to.”
Scott Cushman is the director of public relations at Union Adventist University.
