
The U.S. The Department of Education has awarded the University of Arkansas at Little Rock a $2.1 million, five-year grant to help more students succeed and graduate from college.
The grant funds the general operation of the university’s Student Support Services (SSS) program, which provides resources to undergraduate college students who are low-income, first-generation or disabled.
It will also allow the university to hire a “success coordinator,” a new position that was not funded by the 2015 grant, according to the university.
“UA Little Rock is committed to providing an affordable and high-quality education for everyone who wishes to make their dream of a college education a reality,” Chancellor Christina Drale said in a news release. “We are pleased that the U.S. Department of Education has recognized our commitment to student success and the extraordinary work of our Student Support Services program. The program’s success is a credit to the hard work and determination of its participants and the dedicated educators who are working to close the education gap and make college accessible for all students.”
SSS is a federally funded TRIO program.
“TRIO Student Support Services provides services annually to 260 eligible UA Little Rock students,” said SSS Director Desarae Nelson. “SSS helps motivate students toward the successful completion of their post-secondary education. The goal of the program is to increase participants’ college persistence, support them through graduation, and facilitate the transition from one level of higher education to the next.”