BCTC Receives two 5-year grant awards through TRIO Student Support Services

Published on Aug 21, 2025

Federal grant will boost student retention and graduation at BCTC

Lexington, KY — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) two federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grants totaling over $2.5 million to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities at the Lexington and Danville Campuses. 

This award marks the continuation of fifteen years of TRIO SSS services on our campuses. Since 2010, the Lexington and Danville programs have served over 1,600 students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers.

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 reaffirms our commitment to creating a college-going culture where every student regardless of their background has the opportunity and support to succeed,” said Dr. Greg Feeney, BCTC President/CEO. “TRIO SSS is more than a program; it’s a life-changing pathway that transforms students’ futures, families, and communities.”

"As a low-income, first-generation TRIO alumnus, I’ve experienced firsthand how TRIO programs help students succeed. I’m grateful to now work in these programs and support others as they improve their lives through education,"  said Shawn Stokes, Lexington Campuses Trio SSS Director. 

Nationally, the SSS program 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, converts 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.  In addition to SSS, BCTC sponsors two other TRIO programs Upward Bound and Talent Search. These programs assist middle and high school students in pursuing postsecondary education.

For more information about TRIO Student Support Services at BCTC, visit TRIO Student Services or contact Shawn Stokes at shawn.stokes@kctcs.edu. 

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.