Saint Mary’s Awarded New $1.3 Million Federal TRIO Grant to Advance Student Success

Saint Mary’s College of California has once again been selected to receive a prestigious federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant, securing $1.3 million over the next five years to bolster academic and personal support for first-generation and low-income students.

The grant—awarded by the US Department of Education—represents a powerful reaffirmation of the College’s commitment to expanding access to higher education. It will fund a broad range of services designed to help students succeed academically, build confidence, and graduate on time.

“Being awarded the TRIO grant is a huge accomplishment and I am especially proud of all the work put forth by faculty, staff, and students to make this dream a reality,” says Chameeta Denton, MA ’10, Director of SMC’s High Potential Program and TRIO SSS.

The TRIO SSS program builds on and extends SMC’s existing High Potential (HP) program, which has provided access and a summer bridge for first-year, first-generation students. The landmark programs boasts a legacy of more than 50 years. Through the TRIO SSS funding, additional services for low-income students, students with disabilities, continuing students, and transfer students will continue to amplify the impact of the High Potential program.

The program offers individualized tutoring, individualized success coaching, career advising, financial aid literacy, graduate school preparation, peer mentoring, and more. Study halls, collaborations with cultural groups at SMC, networking events with Gael alumni, and guided excursions to Bay Area museums and cultural landmarks are also funded by the program.

Image

“Our goal at HP is to create a sense of belonging for students where they otherwise may not feel it on campus,” says Chameeta Denton. “HP aims to provide the necessary essentials for students to focus on their studies rather than worrying about how they will pay for textbooks or personal items. We want to take the burden off of our students as much as possible to create an equitable learning environment.”

The grant also helps fund a dedicated support team—including success coaches trained in counseling-related fields, a graduate student assistant, and undergraduate peer mentors—who work closely with students to guide them through both academic and personal challenges.

“We want to take the burden off of our students as much as possible to create an equitable learning environment,” says Chameeta Denton, MA ’10, Director of SMC’s High Potential Program and TRIO SSS.

Part of a suite of eight federal TRIO initiatives, the SSS program is rooted in the understanding that students whose parents did not attend college often face greater challenges in navigating academic systems. By offering wraparound support, TRIO helps level the playing field—empowering students to thrive in college and beyond.

“Access to higher education and the promise of meaningful career trajectories are central to the Lasallian mission of Saint Mary’s College,” said Aeleah Soine, Vice Provost for Academic Success at Saint Mary’s. “These resources will aid us in our commitment to increase retention, timely degree completion, and access to high-impact practices, particularly for our first-generation, low-income, and students with disabilities. In the end, it provides the means for us to celebrate the strengths, resilience, and promise that first-generation and low-income students bring to the Saint Mary’s community.”

The renewed five-year, $1.3 million award reflects continued federal confidence in the impact of Saint Mary’s TRIO program. It ensures the College can keep meeting students where they are—fostering academic excellence and the deep sense of community that defines the Saint Mary’s experience.