TRIO Student Support Services
TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO SSS) is a federally-funded program that provides Luther College to have a specialized team of professionals to provide guidance and support to first-generation college students, income-eligible students, and students registered with Accessibility Services.
TRIO Student Support Services Team | Sitting (in the front), from L-R is: Jessica Rupp (TRIO SSS Advisor), Cyndi Lyons (TRIO SSS Administrative and Communication Coordinator), and Megan Miller (TRIO SSS Advisor and Instructional Specialist). Standing is Dr. Jennifer Hanifl (Director of TRIO SSS).
As a TRIO SSS participant, the encouragement you receive throughout your college journey will be ever-present. From one-on-one advising, to you experiencing a sense of place, community, and belonging, to financial assistance, we are here to help you navigate through the college experience. From onboarding to commencement, every step in between, and beyond, you will feel supported and empowered. Apply today, and we’ll do everything we can to optimize your college experience, help you mitigate obstacles, and celebrate with you successes along the way.
As a Luther College TRIO SSS participant, you:
- Have access to a credit course that serves as the foundation for your learning and development over the next four years
- Are assigned a TRIO advisor and receive ongoing academic, personal, career and financial coaching
- Build important skills and relationships that promote your belonging, engagement, excellence and persistence
- Save money and reduce debt through lending programs, TRIO grants and scholarships
TRIO Student Support Services FAQs
We know that the transition to college can be exhilarating and overwhelming all at once. TRIO Student Support Services is both a resource and community, serving first-generation college students, income-eligible students, and students with disabilities at Luther College. As a participant in the TRIO SSS program, you will receive personalized holistic support and advising throughout your college journey and beyond. Wrap-around care includes: community, financial empowerment workshops, graduate school exploration, leadership cultivation, and immersive learning experiences. We would love to provide support and enrichment to your college journey as you strive to bring your dreams to fruition. You’ll soon see that Luther is your home away from home, and that TRIO is your family away from your family.
TRIO Student Support Services participants must be deposited Luther College students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents eligible for federal financial aid. They must also meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Low income level as determined by federal guidelines for family unit size
- First-generation college student (neither parent/guardian has a bachelor’s degree)
- Have a documented disability
The Luther College TRIO Student Support Services is currently funded to serve 165 students. Federal regulations require that at least 2/3 of the participants be both first generation and low income or have a documented disability, and that 1/3 of the students with disabilities are also low-income.
After you are a deposited student at Luther, you may apply to be a participant in the TRIO Student Support Services program by completing this TRIO SSS application. You will then receive an email from Dr. Hanifl (Director of TRIO Student Support Services), either welcoming you into the program, or informing you that you have been waitlisted (if there are not any available spots within your eligibility category) or that you are not eligible for TRIO.
Financial Empowerment
Through workshops, Financial Aid Kahoot, FAFSA sessions, and trivia, discover tools and resources to make informed financial decisions, from budgeting, saving and investing, to understanding student loans. Access TRIO-exclusive grants, scholarships, and professional development sponsorships, and reduce out-of-pocket expenses through our textbook lending library, tech resources, and academic supply cupboard.
Graduate School Exploration
Navigate life after Luther by exploring career and graduate school options, including TRIO-sponsored graduate school trips. Elevate your resume and cover letter by aligning your strengths and interests with your life design.
Leadership Cultivation
Experience your leadership skills with experiences designed to strengthen your confidence and optimize your impact. Travel with TRIO to student leadership conferences, serve in the TRIO Leadership Council (TLC), be a peer mentor, and advance your professional network. Perhaps even consider applying for a sponsorship to pursue your own leadership conference opportunities.
Immersive Learning Experiences
Broaden your perspective and connect with others through immersive learning experiences. Participate in group excursions to museums, performances, and historical sites that promote societal awareness and foster personal growth.
No out-of-pocket programmatic costs to you!
All services, activities, refreshments, conference and grad school retreat registration fees, and associated transportation and lodging costs are provided at no charge to TRIO SSS participants.
All services and activities are free to participating students. In fact, TRIO students can benefit financially in numerous ways.
The program is funded to serve 165 participants annually.
Yes. Participants must meet minimum expectations in order to benefit from the program and to remain involved.
History of TRIO
Luther’s TRIO/SSS program began in 1973, but the origins of the program date back to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty.
The Educational Opportunity Act of 1964 established an experimental program known as Upward Bound. Then, in 1965, the Higher Education Act created Talent Search. Finally, another program, Special Services for Disadvantaged Students (later known as Student Support Services), was launched in 1968. Together, this “trio” of federally-funded programs encouraged access to higher education for low-income students.
In subsequent years and reauthorizations of the Higher Education Act, several other programs were added (Upward Bound Math-Science, Veterans Upward Bound, Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, and others), but like the programs, the name TRIO has stood the test of time.
TRIO programs are dependent on federal funding and are therefore subject to changing political agendas and administrations. Having garnered bi-partisan support over the years, TRIO programs have fought and won difficult funding battles to remain a vital force in the efforts to gain greater access to educational opportunity for under-represented and marginalized populations.
For a more detailed historical account of TRIO and descriptions of each program and the services they provide, see the Council for Opportunity in Education website.
For additional information, especially about the rules and regulations of TRIO programs, see the Department of Education website.
Not only does the federally funded program help first-generation and income-eligible students access financial aid and career advice, it also provides a strong support system on campus to guide students through their college careers and launch them into the next stages of their lives.
Luther College has been awarded a 5-year federal grant for its TRIO Achievement Program.
TRIO Student Support Services
Luther College
700 College Drive
Preus Library 107
Decorah, Iowa 52101
Office Hours
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Additional hours as scheduled.
Phone: 563-387-1269
Fax: 563-387-1411