Director's Message
Linda F. Rhone, Ph.D., D.Ed.
I am the executive director of the TRIO Student Support Services Project. More than 30 years ago, I was an undergraduate student in what was known as the Operation Success Project. Today, this project is known as TRIO Student Support Services. The folks who mentored me encouraged me through my undergraduate studies and challenged me to pursue graduate degrees.
My career extends over 35 years in academia with several full-time faculty appointments in the field of teacher education. I have transitioned my extensive experiences as a K-12 teacher in marginalized communities, community college instructor of social sciences for four years, and university education professor for more than 15 years to currently managing the multi-million-dollar TRIO Student Support Services federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education. In essence, I went from being an assistant professor to executive director and I still teach today in the capacity of graduate adjunct education professor at Wichita State University and Friends University.
My hope is the participants of the TRIO Student Support Services Project will see through my example the possibilities of what can happen with dedication and determination. Their goals don’t have to be attending graduate school or becoming an executive director. Whatever their goals may be, the message is—they can achieve them, and TRIO Student Support Services will be there to support their efforts every step of the way!
Mission Statement
Trio SSS provides academic support services that help first generation, limited income students, and students with disabilities to persist and graduate from college.
Vision
To become a model of excellence in assisting first generation, limited income students, and students with disability to persist and graduate from college.
Core Values
Committed to providing efficient, effective, and excellent services to our students.
Program Objectives
Our program goals are consistent with our funding objectives. SSS at WSU is funded to achieve the following objectives:
- Two hundred and fifty (250) low-income, first generation college students, or students with disabilities will be served each grant year.
- Seventy-four percent (74%) of all participants served in the reporting year by the SSS Project will persist from one academic year to the beginning of the next academic year or will have earned a bachelor’s degree at the grantee institution during the academic year.
- Eighty-six (86%) of all enrolled SSS participants being served will meet the performance level required to stay in good academic standing at the grantee institution.
- Thirty-six (36%) of new participants served each year will graduate from the grantee institution with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent within six (6) years.
For more information about our services visit us at:
Student Support Services (SSS)
309 Grace Wilkie Hall
Office Hours 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
(Monday - Friday)