The Carleton College TRIO/Student Support Services (TRIO/SSS) program is federally funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Competitions for grant renewal happen every four years. The Carleton College TRIO/SSS program has been continuously funded since 1981.

TRIO programs have a rich history dating back to 1964, and continue to open the door of opportunity and access to higher education for eligible students across the nation regardless of race, ethnicity, or culture.

Learn more about TRIO on the U.S. Department of Education website.

Mission

The mission of the Carleton College TRIO/SSS program is to assist participants in overcoming social, cultural, financial, personal, academic, and other challenges to fully participate in the life of the college and ultimately achieve the goal of graduation.

A crucial aspect of the program's mission is to increase awareness of socioeconomic class issues and challenges at Carleton with the purpose of impacting policies, framing Carleton values, activities, and decisions to help develop an environment where TRIO eligible students can thrive.

The program's mission also includes facilitating the growth and development of participants to form a strong sense of identity about where they've come from, clarity and confidence about who they are, and a broad vision about where they are going, what they can become, and the positive impact they can have on their sphere of influence in the world.

Primary Goals:

• 115 + eligible students will be served each year.
• TRIO/SSS participants will remain in good academic standing as they persist in college.
• TRIO/SSS participants will graduate from college in four years.
• The number of TRIO/SSS participants enrolling in graduate/professional school will increase.
• The institutional climate will be more conducive to the success of TRIO eligible students.

The TRIO/SSS program has four major components: supplemental advising and academic support; personal advising and resource exploration and connections; providing a caring community; and extracurricular learning and leadership activities.

Services:

• Supplemental advising and mentoring (one-on-one meetings and individualized support)
• Professional writing assistance and tutoring available for all participants
• Peer mentoring program
• Social/Cultural programming
• Informational workshops (study skills, money management, library research, FAFSA and income tax support, etc.)
• Freshman retreats focusing on assessment, resources for success, and networking
• Sophomore retreat focusing on identity, self awareness and empowerment, cultural and spiritual connections, goals clarification, and the impact of these aspects of self on academic pursuits and achievement
• Scholarship, fellowship, and other financial resource information and exploration
• Textbook, laptop, and reference lending library
• Sophomore Transition program (retreat, resume writing, choosing a major, exploration of career, internship and fellowship opportunities)
• Graduate and professional school exploration and preparation
• Beautiful house location for studying, socializing, relaxation, and community building
• "Class Act" - engaging interested members of the TRIO/SSS and campus community in discussions about socioeconomic class issues and how they might impact the experience of TRIO eligible students at Carleton (organized and facilitated by TRiO/SSS peer leaders)

Eligibility Criteria:

Participants must be Carleton College students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Low income level as determined by federal guidelines for family unit size
• First generation college student (neither parent has a baccalaureate degree)
• Have a documented disability

The Carleton College TRIO/SSS program is currently funded to serve over 115 students. Federal regulations require that at least 2/3 of the participants be both first generation and low income or have a documented disability. Due to the level of interest in the program by eligible students compared to the limited space available, new participants are only accepted during their freshman year at Carleton.