The U.S. Department of Education awarded MTSU a $1.5 million grant to “expand and strengthen student support services,” according to an MTSU press release.
TRIO, which had its 40th anniversary in February, allows 175 MTSU students and 87,000 students across the country to receive support through higher education.
Staff at the university’s Student Support Services, SSS, pushed to secure the TRIO grant, which would ensure continued funding to a variety of student support services like free tutoring, counseling and grants. TRIO programs are part of the Department of Education’s outreach efforts and are only available every five years.
“Securing this grant underscores both the strength of our proposal and the demonstrated effectiveness of our services,” Melissa Towe, the SSS director, said.
The TRIO grant is aimed at improving the college experience for low-income, first-generation or disabled students. Towe said the organization intends to keep it that way.
“Our work remains aligned with national priorities around educational access, persistence and completion for first-generation and underrepresented students,” Towe said.
This grant marks Towe’s third successful cycle in winning the TRIO during her 12-year tenure. She said this cycle is particularly meaningful, as controversy surrounding the funding has heightened, according to the release.
“In this current climate, winning reflects our unwavering commitment to student success during a time when programs like TRIO must clearly demonstrate their value and impact,” Towe said. “When we get to witness these students who once doubted themselves walk across the graduation stage, there’s almost nothing as fulfilling. TRIO makes this consistent support achievable.”
Alissa Benton, an MTSU graduate turned academic counselor in the SSS office, said she would not have made it past her freshman year at MTSU without the program.
“My entire life goal was to be the first in my family to go to college, but I had no idea what to do when I got here,” Benton said. “I was without a major, without people I knew, without anyone to help me. I walked into Director Towe’s office and said, ‘I can’t do this. I quit.'”
Towe introduced Benton to an academic counselor who helped her acclimate to the school and find a major.
“The program supported me throughout my time as a resident assistant in Housing and Residential Life, as an executive board member in my sorority and an SSS peer mentor,” Benton said. “SSS also made sure I got into the graduate school of my dreams.”
Benton now not only gives back to the campus community through her Student Support Services counselor role, but she and other program staff also advocate for TRIO at a national level — most recently at the 2026 Council for Opportunity in Education.
Julia Johnson, a counselor in the SSS office, said the program helps with a wide range of student needs, providing resources and support specifically tailored to each student.
“One benefit is our students can ask us anything and it’s our job to help them find the answer,” Johnson said. “SSS students also benefit from having an office exclusively tailored to their needs. Whether it’s a computer lab, food pantry, or workshops, our 175 participants know they have a home away from home when they are in the SSS office.”
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