STLCC Receives Grant to Help Underserved Students Get into College
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
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St. Louis Community College has received a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education for a TRIO Talent Search program.
TRIO Talent Search is one of the federal TRIO programs, which focus on increasing educational attainment for underrepresented students. TRIO Talent Search supports students to help them graduate high school, enroll in and graduate from college.
“TRIO Talent Search provides middle and high school students with the comprehensive support they need to confidently navigate the education system,” said Laura Modrcin, manager of TRIO Talent Search at STLCC. “Thanks to this federal funding, STLCC can work with students as early as middle school to make higher education an accessible and realistic goal.”
Services include tutoring, mentoring, academic advising, college and career workshops, and field trips to college campuses and community sites. Students will also be invited to summer bridge programs at the STLCC-Forest Park campus. Seniors in TRIO Talent Search will receive additional assistance focused on navigating college admission and financial aid.
STLCC TRIO Talent Search aims to serve 500 students in grades 7-12 each academic year. Students must attend one of three focus schools within the Confluence Academies system: Old North Academy, Confluence Preparatory Academy or South City Academy.
STLCC’s TRIO Talent Search program receives 100% of its annual funding – totaling $277,375 – from the U.S. Department of Education.
The TRIO programs are federal outreach and student services programs designed to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Of TRIO includes eight programs, STLCC operates five of them – three Student Support Services, one Upward Bound and one Talent Search. They are targeted to serve and assist individuals with financial need, first-generation college students and individuals with disabilities.