The U.S. Department of Education recently announced Northwest-Shoals Community College will receive a federal Student Support Services grant of $3,171,090 to help more students succeed in and graduate from college. The Federal Student Support Services Grant awards $634,218 per year for five years.

“Northwest-Shoals is dedicated to the needs and success of all our students and especially those assisted through our Student Support Services grant,” said NW-SCC President Dr. Glenda Colagross. “The renewing of the Student Support Services grant makes it possible to retain many of our students and eventually help them graduate or transfer to a four-year college or university.”

The NW-SCC Student Support Services program is designed to increase the retention and graduation rates of its participants. Funding from the grant will focus on improving the academic outcomes of 400 first-generation students and students of limited income on the Shoals and Phil Campbell campuses.

SSS offers services including academic tutoring, financial aid advice, career and college mentoring, help in choosing courses and other forms of assistance. Such services enhance academic success and make it more likely that students will graduate or transfer with the lowest possible debt.

SSS began in 1968 and is one of the eight federal “TRIO” programs authorized by the Higher Education Act to help college students succeed in higher education. It recognizes that students whose parents do not have a college degree have more difficulties navigating the complexity of decisions that college requires for success. It aims to bolster students from low-income families who have not had the academic opportunities their college peers have had and helps students with disabilities remove obstacles preventing them from thriving academically.

“We are very grateful for the opportunity to continue to assist first-generation students and students of limited income overcome many of the barriers they face in achieving their educational goal,” said Brittany Jones, NW-SCC executive director of Student Success.