Suffolk County Community College has been awarded a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant that provides $348,514 annually for a total of $1.7 million over the five-year cycle. This grant helps support 324 low-income, first-generation, and disabled students at the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system.
Dr. Edward Bonahue, President of Suffolk County Community College said, “TRIO has a powerful impact on our students’ lives, offering them the academic tools and a variety of supports that serve to build student confidence and lead to academic success both here at Suffolk and as they continue their education at a four-year institution.”
According to Lorianne Lueders-Yanotti, director of Suffolk’s program, the college launched this initiative in fall 1997 with 180 students. Today, the college operates the largest TRIO SSS program in Suffolk County and one of the largest in New York State, providing students the following:
One-on-one academic assistance and tutoring
Academic coaching and mentoring
Instruction in study skills and time management
Assistance with financial aid and scholarship applications
Transfer and career advising
Registration priority and guidance with curriculum planning
Peer mentoring and workshops
Midterm progress monitoring and academic support plans
Financial literacy education
Referrals to on- and off-campus resources
Recent program outcomes demonstrate TRIO’s success at Suffolk. The program achieved a 92% year-to-year persistence rate compared to the approved rate of 75%. In addition, 96% of students remained in good academic standing, surpassing the approved rate of 84%. Degree and certificate attainment also outpaced expectations, with 56% completing an associate’s degree or certificate versus the approved rate of 37%, with 32% earning both a degree or certificate and transferring to a four-year institution, compared to the approved rate of 20%.