Hobbs, New Mexico — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded New Mexico Junior College (NMJC) a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1,661,955 to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities. 
 
This award marks the continuation of 27 years of TRIO SSS services on our campus. Since 1998, the program has served over 5,000 students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers. 
 
Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling, and mentoring, TRIO SSS empowers students to overcome barriers to success. These comprehensive supports make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree or successfully transfer, with the lowest possible debt. 
 
“We are very honored to once again be funded in order to continue serving our First Generation, low income and disabled students,” said Adam Guillen Jr., Director of Trio/SSS, who was a member of the program as a student, Academic Advisor and now Director.  
 
“TRiO/SSS has been a big part of my personal life personally, and our program has been embedded at NMJC for nearly three decades now. This grant allows our institution to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all students—regardless of background—can thrive academically and personally. Student Support Services helps level the playing field and equips our students with the tools and confidence to graduate and lead.” 
 
“I’d like to thank our NMJC president, Cathy Mitchell, for writing an excellent grant, as well as our Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness team for providing all of the data needed. And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my TRiO/SSS team for their relentless and hard work with our students assuring that they graduate and reach their academic and career goals in a timely manner, all while consistently meeting our federally mandated benchmarks.” 
 
Nationally, the SSS program has a proven track record. According to a rigorous 2019 evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, students in SSS at two-year institutions 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. 
 
“TRIO programs generally and TRIO SSS, in particular, transforms students from the least resourced backgrounds into college graduates,” said Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington, D.C. “This vital program makes all the difference for nearly a million students each year across the country.” 
 
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, SSS has helped millions of low-income, first-generation students graduate from college and contribute to their communities and the economy. Notable alumni of the TRIO Student Support Services program include Michael Cashman, Town Supervisor of Plattsburgh, NY; former NASA astronaut José Hernández; and Cheryl Johnson, 36th Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.  
 
About the Federal TRIO Programs 
TRIO programs (Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Veterans Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program) help students overcome academic, economic, and social barriers to higher education. TRIO services include assistance in choosing a college and tutoring; personal, financial, and career counseling; assistance in applying to college; workplace and college visits; special instruction in reading, writing, study skills, and mathematics; assistance in applying for financial aid; and academic assistance in high school or assistance to reenter high school or college. 
 
For more information about TRIO Student Support Services at New Mexico Junior College www.nmjc.edu or contact Adam Guillen Jr. at aguillen@nmjc.edu 
 
New Mexico Junior College (NMJC) is a leading educational institution committed to providing success through learning and high-quality education to its diverse student body. Founded in 1965, NMJC offers a wide range of academic programs, certifications, services to empower students to achieve their educational and career goals. 

Contact: Valerie Onsurez Gauna, Director of Engagement & Outreach, New Mexico Junior College, 575-492-2780, vgauna@nmjc.edu