Northern TRIO grants renewed for another five years

Montana State University-Northern receives a student support services grant, which will provide services to assist students in retention, academic success and graduation.

Enrollment Management Vice Chancellor Maura Gatch said Northern has received this grant for more than 30 years and the school just got renewed for the next five years. The grant was awarded by the U.S. Department of Education.

“On campus, we are incredibly excited that we have this grant coming back for five more years, because it definitely assists us here at Northern,” she said, “and taking our students who we know need a little assistance and helping them on their academic path and getting to graduation.”

The grants are for the federal TRIO Programs, outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, the U.S. Department of Education, webpage about the program says. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs. TRIO also includes a training program for directors and staff of TRIO projects.

“It’s bringing over $1.5 million to the campus in the next five years to assist the students who are eligible, which is a first generation low-income and students with disabilities — in terms of good academic standing, assisting them in retaining and then eventually getting to graduation,” Gatch said.

The grant aligns with the economic mobility Northern has — it was rated No. 15 in the nation, No. 1 in the state in moving students from the lower 20 percent to the upper 20 percent through their education and getting a degree.

She said 60 percent of Northern’s students are eligible for the services.

To access the services, she said, students have to come into the Support Services room of Cowan Hall on campus where the students will fill out an application, have a meeting with one of the support services advisors and then they have access to all the services offered.

The services include personal and academic advising, financial literacy, tutoring, workshops, a textbook library, laptops, free printing and more, she added.

“We really work to provide them all the skills and the tools they will need to be successful in their academic journey,” Gatch said. 

The award also offers financial awards to students who are eligible and active participants.

She said that each year, up to $10,000 will be available to award participants as grants, adding that they don’t have to pay it back. It is to help reduce student-loan debt, so that they are able to stay in school and be productive, she said.

“We’re all incredibly excited for five more years to help our students, advocate for them and see them not only graduate, but go on back to their communities and do great things,” Gatch said.