Eastern Student Support Services receives $1.5 million federal grant
(Press Release 08-02-10)
Hank Mooney, Office of Public Information

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Student Support Services at Eastern Oklahoma State College was notified by US Sen. Jim Inhoff’s (R-Okla.) office of an additional five year funding through the U.S. Department of Education grant.

The Wilburton based community college will receive an additional $1.5 million to support the program.

Student Support Services is one of three student assistant programs designed to help students who are most at risk in college as part of the TRIO program signed into law by President L. B. Johnson in 1965. The other two programs in the bill include Talent Search for junior high school age children and Upward Bound for high school students.

Upward Bound Math and Science, Veteran’s Upward Bound, McNair Scholars and Educational Opportunities Centers make up the other student assistance programs provided by the 1965 law Student Support Services Project Director Sue Lovett says.

“Student Support Services has been part of Eastern since 1997,” Lovett said. “In the beginning, the program was funded for 150 students a year. When the grant was refunded in 2001, the SSS population served was raised to 250 students yearly.

Lovett says that the program has served more than 2,800 first generation, low income and disabled students at the college since it began.

Services provided by SSS include financial aid, career information, transfer and personal counseling, cultural enrichment, personal development workshops, college tours and transfer trips coupled with academic advising. Students can take advantage of the lending library for text books, calculators and tape recorders.

The SSS program is located in Johnston Hall on the Wilburton campus and also serves campuses at McAlester, Idabel and Antlers. Additional information may be received by contacting one of the staff members including Lovett; Counselor and Advisor, June Haynes; Kathy Howe, academic specialist or Cindy Waldrop, administrative assistant at 918.465.1825.

“We are committed to serving Eastern’s students and helping them to succeed in college and persist to a four-year university,” Lovett said.