TROY– First-generation college students at Troy University will now be among those who are eligible to get help through a special program.

The University’s Student Support Services Program will serve 165 first-generation college students, low-income or disabled students in an effort to help these students attain their educational goals and take advantage of career opportunities. It’s the second time the Troy campus has won the competitive grant.

“We are elated to have the student services support grant back on this campus. These funds will allow us to engage at-risk students enabling their success at Troy,” said Dr. John Schmidt, senior vice chancellor for student services. “Moreover, the grant will facilitate improving service delivery in testing and counseling, two key assessment tools in student engagement and retention. Obviously, the timing is perfect as we seek to enhance our retention.”

The program, funded entirely through a U.S. Department of Education grant, will provide $220,000 for the first year of the five-year project. Schmidt said it had been 11 years since the last successful grant application for the program. This year’s application received a perfect score, and competed with colleges and universities nationwide. The Dothan and Montgomery campuses also have an on-going student services program.

Participating students will undergo a comprehensive needs assessment that includes testing, diagnosis and remedial recommendations for strengthening any deficiencies; instruction and tutoring in academic courses and basic study skills. The grant also establishes a counseling network to provide personal, academic, financial and career counseling for the students. Cultural enrichment activities will also be part of the program, according to Dean of Students Herbert Reeves.

“This program is designed to help students who are either first-generation college-goers, from a low-income family or who are disabled to succeed in the University setting,” he said. “We typically see a high drop-out rate from this segment, but we can find ways to help them be successful at TROY.”

National statistics indicate college students who fall within the program’s scope are at higher risk of leaving college without a degree. Reeves said that while TROY’s overall student retention rate slightly outpaces the national average, the at-risk students that will be served by the program are more likely to drop out during their first two college years than other students.

The program’s success is defined by more than just keeping students in the classroom, Reeves said. According to the grant’s application, the project will aim to, within six years, increase the percentage of graduates among the participating students from 5 percent to 15 percent.

“Not only are we looking at raising the retention rates of these students, but we’re looking to increase their grade-point averages and even increase the number of these students who go on to graduate school,” Reeves said.

Another indicator of needs, Reeves said, are TROY studies conducted over several years that point to the causes of high attrition rates among freshmen.

The top cause for freshman attrition is lack of time-management skills and uncertainty how to make educational decisions. Lack of communication skills, specialized academic support and basic college skills such as note taking and test preparation also make the list.

“This program will address these areas and help give students who are in the highest risk group on our campus the skills they need to thrive at the University,” Reeves said.

While funded at 100 percent, TROY must supply facilities to house the center and must achieve programmatic goals in order to receive funding each year.