Student Support Services has been notified by the U.S. Department of Education that the program will be funded for the next five years.

Pat Trotman, director of Student Support Services, said, "It's important that we provide continuing service to the students we serve. Our award notification came earlier than we'd expected, and we are blessed with a five-year grant this time [as opposed to a four-year grant, which is the norm], both of which will help us in providing uninterrupted service to those students who need it."

Established at Metro in 1976, Student Support Services is one of five federal TRIO programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education to provide academic support for low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities. According to Trotman, the program helps students overcome social and cultural barriers to higher education, works to increase the retention and graduation rates of eligible students and fosters a supportive institutional climate.

The department, which serves approximately 200 students each academic year, offers a wide range of services, including: academic advising, tutoring, financial aid application assistance, career guidance, counseling and computer-assisted instruction.