The University of New Mexico-Gallup has received a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education to continue its TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program. The grant totals $1,456,085 over five years, providing $291,217 annually to support low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.
This funding extends 25 years of TRIO SSS services at UNM-Gallup. Since 2000, the program has assisted more than 1,300 students in staying enrolled and earning degrees.
“We take pride in creating a welcoming environment where students feel seen, supported, and valued,” said Kimimila Simms, director of UNM-Gallup’s TRIO SSS program. “By honoring students’ cultural identities and building a strong sense of community, we help them develop the confidence and skills needed to persist, graduate and succeed beyond college. Our mission is not only to increase college access and completion, but to walk alongside our students as they transform their futures and uplift their communities.”
Simms noted that many UNM-Gallup students face challenges such as being the first in their families to attend college or dealing with financial hardship while living in rural or tribal areas with limited resources.
“Rooted in a culturally responsive and student-centered approach, our program provides holistic support through academic tutoring, peer mentoring, financial aid and literacy guidance, transfer and career planning, and personalized advising,” Simms said.
Students have described the TRIO SSS program as an important source of support. Nakeisha Begaye, a first-generation pre-nursing student at UNM-Gallup who also works as a peer tutor/mentor for TRIO SSS, said: “TRIO is a family. The advisors do really take the time to figure out what you want to do, even if you’re an iffy person between degrees. The mentors and tutors really want to help push you to succeed and pass classes and also uplift other students when they come in.”
Begaye first encountered TRIO through the Upward Bound program in high school—a separate initiative aimed at helping low-income or first-generation high schoolers prepare for college. After leaving school due to personal issues but later returning with encouragement from TRIO staff members at her workplace, she credits the program for supporting her educational journey.
Antoinette Marianito from Church Rock shared similar experiences with TRIO SSS after returning to UNM-Gallup following personal loss. She now works as social media/student office assistant for the program while pursuing an associate degree in human services: “My parents didn’t go to college,” she said. “TRIO really helped me. It was my first time back [at UNM-Gallup] and I didn’t know where to start. They helped me with navigating college.”
McKayla Yazzie from Bread Springs also credited both Upward Bound and TRIO SSS for guiding her through challenges related to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yazzie graduated from UNM-Gallup with an associate degree in business administration before continuing her studies online through UNM Albuquerque: “Being welcomed into TRIO and coming in all the time helped me with time management, organizational skills and all my classes,” Yazzie said.
According to national data cited by the U.S. Department of Education’s 2019 evaluation report on Student Support Services programs at two-year institutions like UNM-Gallup showed that participants were 48% more likely than non-participants to earn an associate degree or transfer; those at four-year schools were 18% more likely than peers not involved in SSS programs.
“Some of our proudest accomplishments are seeing students who come in feeling isolated and unsure of their abilities grow into confident leaders who are now mentoring others… Every student’s journey is different but TRIO/SSS tries to ensure that college isn’t just a dream but it becomes a reality,” Simms added.
Student Support Services is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965 aimed at removing barriers—socially or academically—to higher education access since its creation in 1968.
