Northeast Iowa Community College secures TRIO grant renewal to empower first-gen, low-income and disabled students
Monday, August 18, 2025
PEOSTA, Iowa — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling $1,430,545 to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.
This award marks the continuation of 24 years of TRIO SSS services at NICC. Since 2001, the program has served 1874 students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees and build meaningful careers.
TRIO SSS provides ongoing support for 160 students at the Peosta campus who meet the program’s criteria and plan to graduate from NICC and transfer to a four-year college or university.
NICC Pre-Nursing student and TRIO program member, Chloye Gmur, believes the program has had a tremendous impact on her academic and personal success at NICC.
“TRIO SSS has made such a positive impact on my education and my life. The staff and people involved in the program are truly amazing. Their support has helped me navigate some tough times, reminding me that I’m not alone in this journey. The connections I’ve made with other students have created a real sense of community in TRIO. We’ve all faced challenges, and having friends who understand what I’m going through has been so comforting. It’s like having a built-in support system that motivates me to keep pushing forward,” Gmur said.
According to data from the 2023–2024 academic year, TRIO students at the College demonstrated strong outcomes: 81% persisted in their studies from one academic year to the next; 91% maintained good academic standing; 52% graduated with an associate's degree or certificate; and 21% both graduated and successfully transferred to a four-year institution. These outcomes all exceed the objectives established for TRIO programs.
Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling and mentoring, TRIO SSS empowers students to overcome barriers to success. These comprehensive supports make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree or successfully transfer, with the lowest possible debt.
“This grant allows Northeast Iowa Community College to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all students—regardless of background—can thrive academically and personally,” said Jodi Kremer, TRIO SSS program director. “Student Support Services helps level the playing field and equips our students with the tools and confidence to graduate and lead.”
Nationally, TRIO SSS has a proven track record. According to a rigorous 2019 evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, students in SSS at two-year institutions were 48% more likely to earn an associate’s degree or transfer to a four-year school, and students at four-year institutions were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree compared to similar peers not in the program.
“TRIO programs generally and TRIO SSS, in particular, transforms students from the least resourced backgrounds into college graduates,” said Kimberly Jones, 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.”
SSS is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to remove social, academic and cultural barriers to higher education. Since its inception in 1968, SSS has helped millions of low-income, first-generation students graduate from college and contribute to their communities and the economy.
More information about TRIO Student Support Services at NICC is available at nicc.edu/trio.
About the Federal TRIO Programs: TRIO programs (Talent Search, Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math-Science, Veterans Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers and the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program) help students overcome academic, economic and social barriers to higher education. TRIO services include assistance in choosing a college and tutoring; personal, financial and career counseling; assistance in applying to college; workplace and college visits; special instruction in reading, writing, study skills and mathematics; assistance in applying for financial aid; and academic assistance in high school or assistance to reenter high school or college.