Contact: Kenneth Billings
STARKVILLE, Miss.--When senior Allison Jones enrolled at Mississippi State four years ago and stepped into the "real world" of college academics, she felt a little bit over her head, to say the least.
College life was a completely different environment from her high school and hometown of Natchez. Had it not been for a friend inviting her to a meeting at the university's Student Support Services office, her time on campus could have been quite different.
"I didn't know what to expect, what to do, or where to go for help when I got here," the kinesiology major said. "I called my mom and she didn't know either."
Jones said there was minimal support available from her family, not because they didn't want to help, but because none of her family had the experiences to guide them. She credits the direction and guidance provided by the TRIO program as a major contributing factor in her accomplishments as a college student.
Julie Berry, assistant dean of students and director of the office, said first-generation university students often face many issues and academic challenges not experienced by others who come from homes with a history of college attendance. Through TRIO, the university has the capacity to provide a wide range of services dealing with both academic and social issues that can impede a student's progress and success, she explained.
Berry said TRIO initially incorporated Upward Bound, Talent Search and Student Support Services programs, but has expanded to include several other initiatives. Federally funded, it is designed primarily to help freshman and sophomore low-income and first-generation students--groups that typically struggle in college--acclimate to the campus, both academically and socially.
MSU's TRIO program can accommodate about 160 students annually, Berry said.
"This program is a very, very big part of my success and I am grateful to have been a part of it," Jones said. "I don't know where I would be right now without it.
"They took me in and took me under their wing and guided me and helped me with whatever was going on in my life, whether it was school or in my personal life," she continued. "They've done so much; I can't put it into words. They helped me change my attitude and outlook and become a better student and a better person."
Berry said Jones' collegiate experience epitomizes TRIO's mission and purpose. While providing academic and social resources from tutoring to self-improvement sessions and time-management skills, it also can be a significant unifying experience for individuals of similar backgrounds that help them fit into the college environment, she observed.
"We serve as a resource for our students to give them an opportunity to learn all of the ins and outs of college life and administration," Berry said "All students are searching for a place to plug in, and our best service is providing the one-on-one interaction with other students they need and crave.
"That helps us build a network of people from the same backgrounds and relative experiences as first generation college students," she added.
As an example, Berry mentioned lunchtime "fellowship" meetings held every Tuesday. At the sessions, speakers such as head football coach Sylvester Croom and members of his staff discuss the skills required for academic, professional and business success.
With the recent addition of the Promise Scholarships, Berry said Student Support Services should be better able to identify students fitting the program's criteria much earlier. As a result, stories like Jones' should become more the norm, rather than the exception.
The Promise Scholarships were established last year to help entering freshmen and community college transfer students from low-income Mississippi families attend MSU. (For more information, visit http://www.sfa.msstate.edu/promise/.)
Because TRIO funding is provided by a U.S. Department of Education grant, students desiring to participate must first meet certain eligibility requirements. A link to the information is available via http://www.msstate.edu/dept/sss/.
NEWS EDITORS/DIRECTORS: For more about the TRIO program, contact Berry at 662-325-3335 or jberry@saffairs.msstate.edu.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.