Northeast State’s TRiO Students Support Services program has assisted more than 7,300 students since 1984. This is a photograph from the March 27 Northeast State Community College’s TRiO graduates with Northeast President Jeff McCord at the far upper left.
Northeast State’s TRiO Students Support Services program has assisted more than 7,300 students since 1984. This is a photograph from the March 27 Northeast State Community College’s TRiO graduates with Northeast President Jeff McCord at the far upper left.
BLOUNTVILLE — Northeast State Community College’s venerable TRiO Student Support Services or SSS program received a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education totaling $335,486 for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
This grant award marks the continuation of 41 years of TRIO SSS services for students attending Northeast State, dating back to the administration of President Ronald Reagan.
“This grant allows Northeast State to deepen our commitment to ensuring that all students — regardless of background — can thrive academically and personally,†said Wes Greear, director of TRiO SSS at Northeast State. “Student Support Services helps level the playing field and equips our students with the tools and confidence to graduate and lead.â€
Since 1984, the program has served more than 7,380 students at Northeast State. The program strives to serve students by helping them stay enrolled, complete their certificates or degrees and build meaningful careers.
The TRiO Student Support Services program serves 180 Northeast State students every year. The program provides low-income, first-generation college students and students with disabilities support to stay in school and graduate.
Northeast State’s TRiO staff provides individualized support to students. These services include academic tutoring, transfer advisement, college course selection, financial aid/financial advisement, and counseling resources.
The TRiO team also assists students to apply for financial aid and scholarships to enroll in four-year colleges and universities. These comprehensive supports significantly increase the likelihood that students will successfully complete their degree or transfer with the lowest possible debt.
Nationally, the TRiO SSS program boasts a proven track record for student success. According to a 2019 evaluation by the federal DOE, students in SSS at two-year institutions were 48% more likely to earn an associate’s degree or transfer to a four-year school.
“TRIO programs generally, and TRIO SSS in particular, transform students from the least resourced backgrounds into college graduates,†said Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education in Washington, D.C.
SSS is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965. 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.
For more information about TRIO Student Support Services at Northeast State, visit or contact Wes Greear at wpgreear@northeaststate.edu.
