Adams State University will be able to help even more students overcome hurdles on their quest to earn a college degree with a new $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
Under the grant, Adams State will receive $294,722 per year for the next five years. The funding supports ongoing Student Support Services programs for low-income and first-generation students, as well as students with disabilities.
Student Support Services launched nationwide in 1968 and seeks to help students graduate from college with the lowest possible debt. There are 1,131 federally funded Student Support Services programs at campuses across the country.
“This funding will allow us to continue services we have been able to provide to students in the past, such as tutoring, mentoring, academic and career counseling and our Summer Scholars program,” said Melinda Viescas, director of Student Support Services at Adams State.
Already, Student Support Services programs and initiatives have helped hundreds of Grizzlies overcome challenges, persist in their studies and thrive at Adams State.
The program supports the University’s mission of educating, serving and inspiring diverse populations of students, including many from the San Luis Valley. Nearly 55 percent of undergraduates at Adams State are eligible for Student Support Services programs because of their disability status, income and family education levels.
With these and other programs, the campus hopes to level the playing field and ensure equal educational opportunities for disadvantaged students.
“Our students come from all over the country,” Viescas said. “They are all here to pursue higher education but face obstacles other students may not.”
Visit Adams State Student Support Services to learn more.
