MCC’s TRIO Programs Awarded Over $5.3 Million

Middlesex Community College was awarded over $5.3 million in support of the college's three TRIO programs over five years. The programs reach students from middle and high school through college completion, including students who are the first in their families to attend college, come from low-income households, or have documented disabilities.

"Thank you to the U.S. Department of Education for their generous funding of our TRIO programs," said Phil Sisson, MCC's President. "At MCC, we meet learners of all ages where they are, including students who take our classes at their high schools. Combined with our strong partnerships with local schools and organizations, this funding strengthens our ability to guide students on their paths from middle school to MCC to the student's transfer institution to successful and stable jobs in the workforce. In our program, students who would not otherwise have the opportunity gain access to robust and comprehensive resources, support systems, and education that will help them reach their goals and improve their lives."

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Serving Lowell Public School students at the high school and two middle schools since 1989, MCC's TRIO Talent Search Program supports 824 students each year. Dedicated advisors work with students from middle school through high school graduation, focused on academic support. In high school, students receive college and career advising, as well as help registering for the SAT, completing their application for financial aid, and navigating the college application process. The program received a total of $2,059,680 over five years to help young people in the community see college as a real option.

MCC's TRIO Student Success Program (SSP) and Program for Student Achievement (PSA) ensure that once these students arrive at Middlesex, they have the support to stay on track, succeed, graduate and transfer. MCC's TRIO SSP supports first-generation college students, as well as those who meet income eligibility. For five years, the program received $1,927,145. MCC's TRIO PSA assists students who have documented disabilities. The program received $1,362,000 for five years.

Through MCC's TRIO, students access one-on-one comprehensive academic, career and financial advising. Students are connected to programs and departments collegewide, as well as to opportunities with community partners in and outside of the college. Focusing on their individual goals, they are prepared to take their next steps both at Middlesex and beyond. Together, MCC's three TRIO programs provide a continuous pathway to affordable and accessible education, according to Daniel Sherman, MCC's Senior Director of Grant Development.

"Continued TRIO funding reflects the federal government's confidence in what our TRIO staff deliver year after year," Sherman said. "These programs have been awarded again because they meet ambitious goals for student persistence, good academic standing, and completion. TRIO works because it's personal. Students have a dedicated advisor who knows them, checks in, and helps them through the moments that most often derail college students – a tough semester, a financial aid problem, a disability accommodation, or uncertainty about what comes next. Middlesex is proud to offer three strong programs of support for these students."

TRIO has been part of the federal commitment to college access since the 1960s. Securing and sustaining the grants is a collaborative effort among MCC's TRIO directors, the college's K-16 partnerships, and the Offices of Institutional Grants and Finance.

"If it weren't for TRIO, I wouldn't be where I am today," said Diana Heung, an MCC TRIO alum. "As a first-generation student, navigating everything on my own was extremely difficult, but having TRIO as a resource in high school made a huge difference. They helped me so much, not just academically but also with general life questions. They were people I could go to and talk to whenever I needed it. TRIO has genuinely prepared me for my future and being in college now, I know to always seek out resources and ask for help whenever I need it!

Learn more about MCC's TRIO programs.