Federal grant will boost student retention and graduation at ZSC
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Zane State College a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $272,364.00 to improve college retention and graduation rates among first-generation and low-income students, and students with disabilities. This award represents funding for the 2025–2026 academic year. Continued funding for future years is contingent upon annual congressional appropriations and program performance.
“In such a competitive grant cycle, we believe Zane State’s application was selected for funding because of the quality of the program and our proven track record of student success,” said Josh Eno, Director of TRIO Student Support Services. “We’ve consistently demonstrated strong retention and graduation outcomes, and our holistic, student-first approach shows measurable impact. Ultimately, the work of this program isn’t just degrees earned, but lives changed.”
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.
“This grant strengthens our ability to walk alongside students who often face the steepest challenges in higher education,” said Heather Merry, Chief Student Affairs Officer. “It means we can continue offering personalized support that helps students persist, graduate, and step into meaningful careers. At Zane State, student success isn’t just about degrees—it’s about empowering individuals to realize their potential, and this funding helps make that possible.”
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.
“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 nationally recognized TRIO Student Support Services program include Michael Cashman, Town Supervisor of Plattsburgh, NY; former NASA astronaut José Hernández; and Cheryl Johnson, the 36th Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
For more information about TRIO Student Support Services at Zane State College, visit zanestate.edu or contact Josh Eno at jeno@zanestate.edu.
(Photo caption: back row, left to right: TRIO Director Josh Eno, TRIO Student Leah Carpenter, TRIO Advisor Jason Lanning, TRIO Advisor Cole Mathers, and Chief Student Affairs Officer Heather Merry; front row, left to right: TRIO Students Hayleigh Brewer, Athena Jackson-Wright, and Devon Steele)