Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University has been awarded $330,700 in federal funding to serve low-income, first-generation or disabled students during the 2010-11 school year.

The funds are intended to finance initiatives that help students stay in college and graduate and/or assist them in transferring from a two-year college.

Indiana State expects to receive more than $1.65 million over the next five years to provide services to at least 300 students each year.

The U.S. Department of Education awards the funds for Student Support Services, a nationwide program that has received support from Sens. Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh.

Indiana State has participated in the program since 1971.

"We submitted our proposal last fall as part of a national competition of higher education institutions and are proud to once again receive funding," said Rita Worrall, director of Student Support Services at Indiana State.

"This program has helped about 6,000 students during the past 39 years and is just as important now as when it began. Helping disadvantaged students is a part of the campus culture at Indiana State and I commend the Student Support Services staff for their efforts in meeting the SSS program goal of increasing the retention and graduation of our students."

Services provided to eligible students include instruction in basic study skills, tutoring, counseling, assistance in securing admission and financial aid, career guidance, mentoring and grant aid.

Contact: Rita Worrall, director, Student Support Services, Indiana State University, 812-237-2301 or rita.worrall@indstate.edu

Writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, Indiana State University, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu