Services Offered

What services are available to program participants?

The TRiO program provides a warm and welcoming environment where students can relax, study, and receive tutoring and other support services. Services are free of charge to all TRiO program participants. These services include:

The TRiO program has 2-4 Professional Tutors each semester. TRiO tutors provide tutoring in specific courses such as English, reading, math, biology, and chemistry. The tutors can also assist with course organization, course specific academic success skills, and general computer assistance.

In the spring of 2020, we also partnered with a third-party organization that provides 24/7 online tutoring to active TRiO students. Any TRiO participant who has completed beginning of the year TRiO advising can access this service for free.

TRiO staff provide academic advising to each program participant. Program staff also assist families with completing the FAFSA to ensure that students receive all state and federal aid they are eligible to receive. Information is given to each student so that they have a better understanding of their financial aid package in hope to reduce potential loan burdens.

TRiO staff provides information regarding general financial and economic literacy. These topics include understanding debts (credit cards and student/personal loans), cost of attendance, general budgeting, cost planning (spending versus saving) and financial goal setting.

The primary objective of the TRiO program is to assist students with graduating within four years of joining the TRiO program and then assisting students with that next step, whether it is joining the workforce or transfer to pursue their bachelor’s degree. With that in mind, each time a student meets with a TRiO advisor, they will review a graduation plan. This plan is designed to be an educational map for students, help student set short and long term goals, and is geared towards assisting with transferring or entering the workforce.

TRiO offers a wide variety of workshops to address student needs. Such workshops have included test taking skills, time management skills, money management skills, understanding your financial aid, an etiquette dinner, stress management, and textbook reading skills. Each workshop is 50 minutes long and several are held each week. Students also have the option to schedule an individual meeting with staff to go over workshop topics .

Several times a year, program staff will plan trips to visit four-year college and universities in the state of Illinois. This allows students to step on the campus of colleges they are considering to transfer to, meet with admissions and financial aid staff, and meet with professional staff in their area of study.   

Each month, TRiO staff offer events where program participants can get together and not focus on classes or their studies. This also provides participants the opportunity to meet other program participants and forge new friendships. 

U253 is a space set aside just for TRiO participants. It houses the program's tutors, 10 desktop computers, free printing for course materials (colored printing is available on a limited basis), iPads for additional course support, and study space. 

Want to become a member of TRiO?  Click HERE for the application.