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Three federal grants will boost student retention and graduation at Mount Wachusett Community College.
Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) is proud to announce that it has been awarded three U.S. Department of Education TRIO Student Support Services grants totaling $5,066,500 ($1,013,300 annually) to continue to support programs that help low-income students, first-generation college students, and students with disabilities to succeed in college. These grants are awarded every five years and continue the College’s successful TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Programs that combined serve 420 students annually.
“We are thrilled to continue providing TRIO SSS services at MWCC,” notes MWCC President James Vander Hooven. “Since 1978, MWCC’s TRIO SSS Programs have served thousands of students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers.”
“We are thankful to our legislative partners Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Ed Markey, and Congresswoman Lori Trahan for their diligent work to support this essential funding,” Vander Hooven added.
MWCC will receive $1.36 million over the next five years, $272,364 per year to support the Student Support Services STEM program, known on campus as the Rx Program. The Rx Program provides comprehensive services to 120 students annually who are majoring in health sciences – Biology, Nursing, Allied Health, Veterinary Technology, Paramedic, Paramedicine, Practical Nursing, Dental Hygiene or Pharmacy.
MWCC’s second TRIO program is the Visions Program, which serves 300 low-income, first-generation college students and students with disabilities in any non-health services majors annually. The Visions Program is funded by the second and third SSS grant awards, a combined $740,936 each year, for a total of over $3.7 million.
MWCC’s TRIO SSS Programs provide a range of vital, individualized services, including tutoring, academic advising, financial aid assistance, transfer counseling, career exploration, and workshops on college success skills. The Program’s goal is to increase college retention and graduation rates while fostering a supportive, inclusive learning environment where students are empowered to thrive.
The federally funded TRIO Programs are administered by the U.S. Department of Education. Established under the Higher Education Act of 1965. TRIO Programs are designed to identify and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds as they progress through the academic pipeline from middle school through postsecondary education.
At the 2025 TRIO Award Ceremony held in May, MWCC alumna and public health nurse Samantha Piragis served as a guest speaker and shared how deeply the program shaped her academic and professional journey.
“I carry MWCC and the supports I received here with me every step of the way. Because it was here that I learned how to keep moving forward, even when the path wasn’t clear. It was here that I learned that goals could change — and that’s not failure, that’s growth.”
Her story echoes the lived experiences of countless students who credit the TRIO SSS Programs for providing not only guidance and resources, but also a sense of belonging and belief in their potential.
“This renewal is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our TRIO teams and the students we serve,” said Gaurav Khanna, Director of the TRIO SSS Programs. “We are honored to continue providing high-impact services that help our students navigate the college journey, overcome obstacles, and achieve lasting academic and personal success.”
“TRIO Programs generally and TRIO SSS, in particular, transforms 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.”
For more information about TRIO Student Support Services, visit mwcc.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.