TRIO Transforms Student Experiences at USD, Receives Grant
“Before I got here, I was a nervous wreck,” said Snaza. “I thought that I would be just another small fish in a big pond.”
Snaza, an elementary education major from Sioux Falls, is one of 144 USD students who benefit from TRIO Student Support Services, a federally funded initiative designed to ensure all students have the resources they need to succeed in college, with support for low-income students, first generation college students and students with disabilities.
TRIO at USD offers tutoring, counseling, financial aid assistance, mentorship opportunities and—perhaps most importantly—a community. USD currently administers four TRIO programs designed to support students at various stages of their educational journey.
TRIO Student Support Services assists undergraduate students, and TRIO Upward Bound offers an immersive summer college experience on campus.
Additionally, two TRIO Talent Search programs serve middle and high school students in Sioux Falls and on South Dakota reservations, helping them explore post-secondary opportunities.
For Snaza, those elements of support have transformed what could have been a stressful first semester into a confident start to her academic career.
“Through TRIO’s Early Scholars program, I have made so many new friends and knew familiar faces all around campus before classes even started,” said Snaza. “By the time everyone else moved in, I already felt comfortable and connected.”
The community of TRIO extends beyond social connection, as TRIO has also helped Snaza navigate financial aid, tutoring and mental health resources throughout the semester.
“Having these resources available helps me be my best self academically and mentally,” said Snaza. “TRIO advisors have played a huge role in my success with their kindness and support. They are always checking in and making sure I’m doing okay and asking if I need anything. I know that I have people I can go to if I ever need anything for any reason—judgement free.”
Snaza’s story is one of many that underscore TRIO’s impact on the USD campus and why the program’s future at USD is secure, with the U.S. Department of Education recently awarding USD a federal TRIO Student Support Services grant for 2025-2030.
The grant will provide $272,364 annually—more than $1.3 million—over the life of the award. These funds will support college retention and graduation rates among low-income students, first-generation students and students with disabilities.
“I am proud of USD for continuing in its commitment to student success for all students,” said Carol Voss-Ward, Ed.D., senior director of TRIO programs. “After successfully engaging in the U.S. Department of Education’s competitive grant process, we are able to offer the TRIO Student Support Services program for another five years. Participants will continue to utilize important services for the richest undergraduate experience possible. We want our graduates to be ready to take on our world’s next challenges.”
This commitment at USD also reflects a broader national impact of TRIO programs.
“TRIO programs generally, and TRIO SSS in particular, transform students from the least resourced backgrounds into college graduates,” said Kimberly Jones, J.D., president of the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington, D.C. “This vital program makes all the difference for nearly a million students each year across the country.”
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