Henderson gets $3.5M in TRiO funding

ARKADELPHIA — Federal TRiO programs at Henderson State University were recently awarded seven grants totaling $3,557,418.

“While sharing the common mission of furthering higher education for disadvantaged students, each program has its own unique focus,” said Henderson President Glen Jones.

“We are proud to have earned a record number of grants this year to provide student services for prospective and current students. These programs help ensure our students will succeed in their undergraduate careers and beyond.”

The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and the Higher Education Act of 1965, amended in 1968, established the first of several federally supported educational outreach programs for underprivileged students. Now, federal TRiO programs include eight different programs: Upward Bound, Talent Search, Student Support Services, Veterans Upward Bound, Educational Opportunity Centers, Ronald E. McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program, Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs Staff and Upward Bound Math-Science.

Henderson’s newly funded Upward Bound program received a five-year grant totaling $1.2 million to serve Garland County students attending Lakeside, Fountain Lake and Jessieville School Districts. The program focus is to provide students with college planning, counseling, tutoring, mentoring, test prep assistance, assistance with their college applications and the access to work-study opportunities.

The university also received grants for the Ronald E. McNair Scholars program, $1,161,300; Student Support Services, $337,296; Student Support Services Disability, $261,384; Veterans Upward Bound, $263,938; Talent Search, $246,000; and Educational Opportunity Center, $242,823.