Published April 22, 2024
CAPTION:(L-R): David Chism, Daniel Carson, Dr. Robert Hanser, Fred Louis
MONROE, LA – On March 5, 2024, Robert Hanser, Ph.D., in conjunction with ULM graduate students
Fred Louis, Daniel Carson, and David Chism, presented preliminary findings on “Student
Perceptions of TRIO Services: An Examination of Diversity, Mental Health, and COVID
Considerations” at the Louisiana Association of Student Assistance Programs 52nd Annual Conference (LASAP) in Shreveport, Louisiana.
The purpose of the study is to determine student perceptions of TRIO Student Support
Services (SSS) received at the University of Louisiana Monroe during the 2021 to 2023
academic period. The study utilized ULM’s TRIO student outcome data in combination
with survey data to examine aspects unique from standard academic data annually collected,
thus providing a richer and more comprehensive evaluation of student experiences.
Dr. Hanser, ULM’s Criminal Justice Program and Graduate Coordinator, stated, "The LASAP Conference was an excellent experience that showcased programs to help
disadvantaged students pursue their educational dreams and opportunities. Our research
on the TRIO Program at ULM has provided data-driven guidance as to how we can better
serve our consumer population whom we serve. Using research outcomes for this noble
pursuit is both a personal and professional honor."
Dr. Hanser and his team sought to provide a comprehensive foundation for the TRIO
study by utilizing Mr. Louis’s interest in Marriage and Family Therapy, Mr. Carson’s
interest in Criminal Justice, and Mr. Chism’s studies in Psychology.
First-generation college students across the U.S. bring dedication, grit, and fresh
perspectives to their higher education institutions. Many of them also face more
academic and financial challenges than their continuing-generation peers. Though
definitions of first-generation college students vary, TRIO-SSS considers students
whose parents do not have four-year college degrees to be first-generation. Nationwide,
about half of all college students are considered first-generation.
David Chism stated, “The LASAP conference was a wonderful convention that showed many of the advancements
being made within the TRIO program. The research I have been able to do under the
mentorship of Dr. Hanser has helped to show how much the students within TRIO at ULM
enjoy the program. When looking into the data for this research, I originally believed
that COVID would have been the primary cause of most of the depression and anxiety
within modern college students, but it seems this rise began before the start of COVID."
The University of Louisiana Monroe's TRIO Programs Student Support Services (TRIO-SSS)
is a federally funded program designed to support and assist first-generation college
students in successfully navigating college and obtaining their bachelor’s degree.
TRIO-SSS offers a variety of services that include academic guidance and support,
tutoring, graduate school preparation, financial aid assistance, and more. The TRIO-SSS
Program aims to provide students with the tools and resources they need to succeed
at ULM and achieve their career goals. The ULM TRIO-SSS Program assists participants
in achieving success at ULM. The program strives to retain and matriculate students
toward the successful completion of their baccalaureate degree by creating a model
environment for student growth, retention, and diversity. Since the inception of
the ULM TRIO-SSS in 2015, hundreds of first-generation college students have received
assistance and support to remain in school and successfully complete their degrees.
According to Dr. Catherine Estis, TRIO Executive Director, “The ULM TRIO-SSS program
makes a direct impact in the lives of first-generation eligible students through ensuring
successful navigation toward achieving a college degree.”
TRIO-SSS is one of the eight TRIO Programs fully funded through the U.S. Department
of Education to assist first-generation, income-eligible students to remain in good
academic standing and graduate from college. To learn more about the TRIO-SSS program
or to apply, visit www.ulm.edu/trio or stop by one of the ULM TRIO-SSS offices located in Sandel Hall 351 or Strauss
Hall room 206 or reach out to them at 318.342.1097.
