About the TRIO Student Support Services Program at Pitt-Greensburg
Established in 2025, the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is dedicated to fostering academic success, personal growth, and career readiness among eligible students. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the program provides individualized support, mentoring, tutoring, and resources to help participants navigate college life and achieve their educational goals. Each year, the Pitt-Greensburg TRIO SSS proudly serves up to 140 students, empowering them to persist, graduate, and pursue meaningful opportunities beyond the classroom.
Services Offered to TRIO SSS Students
The TRIO SSS services are designed to address the academic, personal, and social needs of the SSS program participants and aim to improve their persistence, academic success, and graduation rates at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.
- Academic Advising & Coaching:
- Assistance with course selection and development of an Individualized Academic and Career Plan (IACP).
- Regular tracking of academic progress and providing practical suggestions for completion.
- Academic Tutoring:
- Individual tutoring with peer and/or professional tutors in challenging subjects, in collaboration with the Learning Resource Center (LRC).
- Study Skills Development & Study Halls:
- Workshops to develop study skills and reinforce positive academic behaviors.
- Study hall sessions with access to tutors and advisors.
- Financial Aid Workshops:
- Coordination with the Financial Aid Office to provide workshops on financial aid, money management, credit and debt, financial planning, and student loan repayment.
- Assistance with FAFSA completion and scholarship searches.
- Financial/Economic Literacy Education:
- Workshops and seminars focusing on financial literacy, including management of personal finances.
- Personal Advisement:
- Support addressing non-academic factors such as social, cultural, and psychological welfare.
- Resources for housing, parent coaching, childcare, food insecurity, and mental health.
- Peer & Professional Mentoring:
- Experienced undergraduate peer mentors and professional mentors from UPG faculty, staff, and the community for first-year, probationary, reinstated, and transfer students.
- First-Year Experience Programming & Cohorting:
- Includes a four-week Summer Bridge Program for conditionally admitted students and a two-day mini-Bridge Program for regular admits.
- Graduate School Admission and Financial Aid Assistance:
- Specialized programming about advanced degrees, graduate school applications, and financial aid for graduate education.
- Cultural and Educational Activities:
- On and off-campus educational, social, and cultural enrichment activities, including graduation celebrations and academic awards ceremonies.
- Experiential Learning Opportunities & Career Development:
- Encouragement to participate in research, internships, study abroad, and service learning.
- Collaboration with UPG's Career Services for resume building, interview skills, and career exploration.
- Leadership Opportunities:
- Promotion of leadership roles in student organizations, clubs, honor societies, and peer mentoring.
- College & Career E-Portfolios:
- Creation and updating of a digital collection of course-related work and extracurricular activities, with reflection components to support retention and graduation.
Eligibility Criteria for TRIO SSS Program Participants
- First-generation – neither parent has a bachelor’s degree (4-year) and/or
- Income eligible and/or
- Have a documented disability and registered with the Disability Resources and Services at Pitt-Greensburg
Other Eligibility Qualifications:
- Demonstrates academic need, as determined by TRIO SSS Staff
- Is a citizen, national or permanent resident of the United States
- Is enrolled at the grantee institution or accepted for enrollment for the next academic semester at the grantee institution
- Must be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree (4-year) program
The TRIO Student Support Services program encourages potentially eligible and newly admitted or current University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg students to apply.
To Apply for the 2025-26 academic year apply here. This application assists us in identifying students who meet the federal grant eligibility guidelines. Applications are also available at the main TRIO SSS Office located in Millstein Library 202.
Applications are accepted and processed throughout the year. Eligible students who submit applications after our program has reached capacity (approximately 140 students) will be placed on a waiting list.
TRIO SSS Staff and Faculty
Dr. Jaqueline Horrall
Interim TRIO SSS Project Director
Vice President of Academic Affairs
Email: jhorrall@pitt.edu
Phone: 724-836-7482
Location: Lynch Hall 204
Dr. Natalie Taylor
PI of TRIO SSS Grant
Assistant Professor of English
Email: net44@pitt.edu
Phone: 724-836-7484
Location:
Dr. Kayla Heffernan
Supervisor of TRIO SSS Grant
Associate Professor of Mathematics
Email: kah273@pitt.edu
Phone: 724-836-9663
Location: Cassell Hall 235