July 10, 2025
San Diego Mesa College Awarded $1.76M to Support First-Generation, Low-Income, and
Disabled Students Through TRIO Student Support Services
Federal Grant Will Boost Student Retention and Graduation at Mesa College
By Anabell Pulido
SAN DIEGO, CA — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded San Diego Mesa College a TRIO Student
Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1,762,655 ($352,531 annually over five years)
to increase retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation college
students, and students with disabilities.
This award marks the continuation of TRIO SSS services on campus since 1977. Since
its launch, Mesa’s STAR TRIO program has supported hundreds of students in staying
enrolled, earning degrees, and preparing for meaningful careers.
Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship
guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling, and mentoring, TRIO
SSS empowers students to overcome barriers to success. These comprehensive supports
make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree or successfully
transfer, with the lowest possible debt.
“This grant allows us to walk alongside students who are often navigating college
without a map,” said Dr. Ashanti Hands, President of San Diego Mesa College. “Through
STAR TRIO, we offer not just support, but a sense of belonging and a deep belief in
their brilliance, affirming that their dreams are valid and their success inevitable.”
Nationally, the SSS program has a proven track record. According to a 2019 U.S. Department of Education evaluation, SSS students at two-year
colleges were 48% more likely to earn an associate degree or transfer to a four-year
school, and students at four-year institutions were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s
degree compared to similar peers not in the program.
“Everything changed for me when I became part of STAR TRIO,” said Ginger Mankins,
Spring 2024 Mesa graduate. “My counselor really listened to my goals and helped me
choose the perfect transfer major. I used the STAR TRIO space every day to study,
get writing help from a tutor, and build a community. I finished my ADT in under two
years and transferred to SDSU. My counselor was right there with me when I hit the
submit button.”
Student Support Services (SSS) is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under
the Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs are designed to remove academic,
social, and cultural barriers to higher education. Since 1968, SSS has helped millions
of students graduate from college and contribute to their communities and the broader
economy.
Notable alumni of the TRIO Student Support Services program include Michael Cashman,
Town Supervisor of Plattsburgh, NY; José Hernández, former NASA astronaut; and Cheryl
Johnson, 36th Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
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About the Federal TRIO Programs
The TRIO programs, Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Veterans
Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers, and the Ronald
E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, help students overcome academic,
economic, and social barriers to higher education. Services include tutoring; financial,
personal, and career counseling; help applying to college and financial aid; college
and workplace visits; and specialized instruction in reading, writing, math, and study
skills.
About San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College is a fully accredited, comprehensive college committed to equity
and excellence. We honor our diverse community of students, faculty, professional
staff, and administrators who collaborate to foster scholarship, leadership, access,
and innovation in an inclusive learning environment. By promoting student learning
and achievement that leads to degrees and certificates, transfer, workforce training,
and lifelong learning, we empower our students to reach their educational goals and
shape their future. Among the largest community colleges in California, Mesa serves
approximately 29,000 students per year, 25% of whom are full-time. Mesa offers over
200 associate degree and certificate programs and is one of 15 California community
colleges offering a four-year baccalaureate degree. Mesa ranks as one of San Diego’s
top transfer institutions, is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), an Asian
American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI), and
a Military Friendly Gold Status School, serving nearly 2,500 active-duty veterans,
and their families.
www.sdmesa.edu
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Tags: Grant, President Ashanti Hands, STAR TRIO, Press Release
