National TRiO Day to be celebrated by Project Strive

 Friday is National TRiO Day, in which institutions across the country recognize the federal Student Support Services programs that provide assistance for first-generation students and students from low-income families. At CSC, 160 students participate in the program each year.

Students of CSC’s TRiO program, Project Strive, will celebrate with food, games and door prizes in the Strive Learning Center at 6 p.m. Friday. Strive students might also be seen wearing their Project Strive T-shirts in recognition and celebration of TRiO Day. Lastly, as a sign of gratitude for support of the program, Strive participants will be distributing “Thank You” bags Friday to faculty and staff across campus.

CSC receives TRiO grants from the U.S. Department of Education to support Project Strive and Upward Bound programs. Upward Bound serves a similar population of high school students in Chadron, Alliance, Gordon and Rushville.

Aaron Prestwich, the director of CSC’s Student Support Services, said Project Strive provides excellent services for students striving to achieve their educational goals. These services include academic advising and guidance, personal counseling, access to textbooks, supplemental grant aid, campus service and leadership opportunities, and exposure to cultural learning experiences.    

Prestwich said the TRiO programs have served more than 10.5 million students throughout the nation since their inception in 1965. More than 1,200 colleges, universities and community agencies serve 850,000 students in more than 2,800 programs.

CSC was first awarded the Student Support Services grant in the early 1970s.