Published July 14, 2025
MONROE, LA – The University of Louisiana Monroe (ULM) is among the institutions chosen by the U.S.
Department of Education to receive a TRIO grant for Student Support Services (SSS).
The University will receive $272,364 per year for five years, totaling $1,361,820,
to enhance student support and assist first-generation, low-income students and students
with disabilities in achieving success and graduation. ULM has been a recipient of
the federally funded TRIO SSS grant to support traditional and non-traditional students
since 2015.
“We are incredibly honored to continue to serve students and support them on their
way to a first bachelor’s degree at the University of Louisiana Monroe. A significant
number of ULM students, as well as many faculty and staff members, are first-generation
college students. As a first-generation college graduate, I am incredibly proud of
the TRIO SSS and their commitment to serving ULM students,” said ULM President Dr.
Carrie L. Castille.
The ULM TRIO SSS program will work toward increasing the retention, good academic
standing, and graduation rates of eligible students and fostering an institutional
climate that is supportive of low-income, first-generation, and students with disabilities.
Additionally, ULM will provide flexible and affordable pathways to acquiring knowledge
and skills while promoting the development of skills that prepare students to be informed,
thoughtful, and productive individuals and citizens.
The ULM TRIO Program provides comprehensive services which include academic tutoring,
financial literacy and aid advice, career exploration and planning, and other forms
of assistance. Each year, ULM’s TRIO SSS team works directly with over 140 students
and many others indirectly who are low-income, first-generation (those whose parents
do not hold a four-year college degree), or students with disabilities. These services
and one-on-one interactions enhance academic success and increase the likelihood that
students will graduate with the lowest possible debt.
Nationally, students who participate in TRIO SSS programs were 48% more likely to
earn an associate’s degree or transfer to a four-year school, and students at four-year
institutions were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree compared to similar
peers not in the program. In 2023-24, the ULM TRIO SSS has a 91% persistence rate,
a 100% academic standing rate, and a six-year graduation rate of 63%.
“This grant allows ULM to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all students—regardless
of background—can thrive academically and personally,” said Dr. Catherine Estis, ULM
TRIO Executive Director. “Student Support Services helps level the playing field and
equips our students with the tools and confidence to graduate and lead.”
TRIO SSS is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act
of 1965 to remove social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education. Since
its inception in 1968, TRIO SSS has helped millions of low-income, first-generation
students graduate from college, contributing to their communities and the economy.
The ULM TRIO Programs office is located in Sandel Hall Suite 351. For more information,
visit https://ulm.edu/research/trio/, call (318) 342-1097, or contact Dr. Estis at estis@ulm.edu.
