PULLMAN, WA – The U.S. Department of Education has renewed six WSU TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) programs with grant funding to continue their critical work for another five years.
The programs, which serve more than 800 students annually, provide academic support, tutoring, career development, and mentorship to students from limited-income households, first-generation college backgrounds, and those with disabilities.
Lucila Loera, the executive director of the Office for Access and Opportunity within Student Affairs, was the first director of an SSS program at WSU.
“One thing we do really well is staying relevant,” Loera reflected in how they meet the changing needs of generations. “We offer wraparound services like career guidance, advising, financial literacy, and tutoring, but most importantly, we meet students where they are and serve as a critical resource to ensure their personal, academic, and ultimately, career success.”
Established at WSU in 2001, TRIO SSS help students build connections across WSU and guide them toward existing resources and partnerships to ensure holistic support. Participants have demonstrated higher retention rates, greater academic achievement, and increased readiness for careers following graduation.
In addition to the program in Student Affairs, three SSS programs in the Office of Academic Engagement (OAE) and two SSS programs at WSU Tri-Cities were also renewed. The programs in OAE focus on specific cohorts — K–12 teacher preparation, students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, math, and health sciences, and military-affiliated students.
Current STEM SSS student Liam Ufkes is a junior majoring in mathematics and minoring in music. He credits his SSS advisor with much of his success at WSU, “[My advisor] helped me by highlighting the preconceived notions I had about what my college experience had to be. She worked with me to pick those notions apart and determine my own path at WSU. She also connected me with resources across campus, including a few graduate students who are pursuing my field of interest in mathematics.”
Ufkes also recalled how his SSS advisor connected him with fundamental support, “There was specifically one month where I was trying to get my finances together to pay for rent and didn’t have enough funds to cover it. My advisor connected me with an emergency grant aid, and I was able to pull through.”
Ali Bretthauer, director of college success programs in OAE, notes that the students within SSS programs are often trying to navigate college with limited financial resources, unfamiliarity with higher education systems, and no safety nets. Yet, in the 2023–24 academic year, the programs within OAE saw a 90% persistence rate among participants.
“With five more years of support for these crucial programs, WSU will continue delivering high-impact practices that help students persist, graduate, and enter careers that keep Washington and the nation moving forward,” remarked Bretthauer.
With five more years of support for these crucial programs, WSU will continue delivering high-impact practices that help students persist, graduate, and enter careers that keep Washington and the nation moving forward.
Ali Bretthauer, director of college success programs
Office of Academic Engagement
Washington State University
WSU Tri-Cities has seen similar success in both its regular and STEM-focused SSS programs. Alondra Castaneda, director of TRIO programs at WSU Tri-Cities and a former TRIO scholar herself, said the programs foster a strong sense of motivation and leadership.
“We see our students constantly getting excited about learning, both inside and outside the classroom,” Castaneda said. “At WSU Tri-Cities, over two-thirds of our TRIO scholars are making an impact as leaders, whether in student government, through campus initiatives, or in the community with opportunities such as internships at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.”
Peer mentorship is a cornerstone of SSS programs at WSU. The impact of the experiences offered is so significant that that alums not only recruit their siblings to participate, but they also come back to serve as mentors — showing the current generation the possibilities they will have post-graduation.
“I know TRIO works,” Castaneda said, “because I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for TRIO.”
