The TRIO Student Support Services Program at Del Mar College

The Federal TRIO Programs are educational opportunity outreach programs designed to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. A major goal of the TRIO SSS program is to increase transfer rates to four-year institutions for first-generation, low-income students once the students' course work at the community college is complete. Toward this end, SSS at Del Mar College provides its 150 students a three-faceted program of tutoring, mentoring, and student services.

A Three-Faceted Approach: Tutoring, Student Services, and Mentoring
After a student has applied to become part of the Program and the student's eligibility has been determined, the student is admitted as a program participant. An intake assessment is completed to align the participant's particular needs with the services the Program offers. A Student Program Plan is written for each participant to establish short- and long-term academic goals and to ensure that appropriate services are rendered. In addition to receiving tutoring through the TRIO Tutoring Lab, each participant accesses one or more of the following student services through the Program:

• Financial aid and scholarship information and assistance;
• Transfer information and assistance;
• Workshops on cultural diversity, study skills, career planning, communication skills, use of technology, and stress management;
• Cultural and social activities; and
• Book, calculator, and tape recorder loans.

Each participant is assigned a peer mentor who regularly meets with the participant to assess progress toward goals and to determine the effectiveness of the services being utilized. The peer mentors communicate daily with the full-time staff regarding student status. Full-time staff work with participants individually and in groups and facilitate student success through quality advising.