LU receives $1.3M grant to enhance Student Support Services

Langston University (LU) has received $1,300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The TRIO Student Support Service (SSS) Program grant will allow the University to serve more than 200 LU students each year. These services will include peer and professional tutoring, academic advising, learning communities, mentoring, cultural and social activities and career exploration. All SSS grants are funded for five-year grant award cycles.

The funding will allow LU to better serve low-income and first-generation students who demonstrate academic need and who are committed to enhancing their academic success. This assistance aligns with the University’s mission, the LU Strategic Plan, and HLC’s Criterion Three: Quality, Resources, and Support. The grant team led by Dr. Jason K. Johnson, LU Assistant Vice President of Student Success, is excited for the opportunities this will bring to the students. His team has begun the initial stages of implementing the program.

“Our program is designed to improve student outcomes including increased retention and graduation rates. I am excited for the opportunities that this will afford Langston University and our students,” said Dr. Jason K. Johnson.

“TRIO has been instrumental in supporting and providing opportunities for marginalized student populations and we plan to continue build our TRIO department.”

This is the first step in rebuilding LU’s TRIO program. To receive funding, the University had to go through an extremely competitive process, only 17 percent of the grants were awarded to new programs.