TRIO Student Support Services Program

UNC Asheville TRIO Student Support Services Program

UNC Asheville’s TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program serves first-generation, low-income students and students with disabilities by providing holistic and targeted support with the goal of lowering their risk for attrition or not completing their degree. Beginning in Spring 2026, the program will support 140 students each semester as they pursue their UNC Asheville degree. The program will also include dedicated support related to financial and economic literacy.

The program will be led by a Program Director, with support from a SSS Academic Success Coach. Work is underway to fill both positions prior to the Spring 2026 semester.

How to Apply

Students meeting federal eligibility criteria will need to complete a short application, with the first application expected to be available at the beginning of November 2025.

Every semester, 140 students will be selected to join the program. Any student not selected for the initial cohort of 140 will have the option to join a waitlist to be included in the program when a spot becomes available.

Each cohort will have access to comprehensive support from the Program Director and Academic Success Coach and will be closely connected to key support offices on campus. As part of the TRIO program, participants will build a close-knit support network and develop the skills necessary for success at UNC Asheville and beyond.

For more information about the program, please contact Regine Criser, assistant provost of student success and engagement, at rcriser@unca.edu.

TRIO Support Services Grant

The TRIO Student Support Services Program is fully funded by a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, disbursed over a five-year period, with no funding coming from non-governmental sources. This is the first TRIO grant awarded to UNC Asheville, and it will provide dedicated assistance to some of the University’s students with the highest needs for comprehensive support.

This grant and program demonstrates UNC Asheville’s commitment to the success of all students by providing comprehensive, student-centered support to a key demographic of our student population. It builds upon the success of initiatives like Access Asheville that serve to  make an exceptional, transformative education attainable.

About the Federal TRIO Program

The Federal TRIO Program was created under the authority of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. In 1968, the program was expanded to include Student Support Services (SSS), designed to foster increased educational opportunity and attainment. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs.