Wharton County Junior College's TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) program is designed to empower low-income, first-generation, and disabled students to excel academically and achieve their educational goals. With a dedicated team, technology resources, and personalized support, you will have everything you need to succeed in your academic journey at WCJC.
Find us at the J.M. Hodges Learning Center on the Wharton Campus, open Monday through Thursday from 7:30AM to 4:30PM, and Friday, 7:30AM to 4:00PM. Our friendly TRiO SSS staff is available to assist you both in-person and virtually during these hours.
Jessica Falcon is the TRiO SSS Project Director at the Wharton campus. She has been a full-time employee at WCJC since 2006. Jessica received her AA degree in Psychology from WCJC. She then continued her education at Liberty University and received her B.S. in Multidisciplinary Studies and her M.A. in Human Services with a concentration in Marriage and Family Therapy. Jessica is beyond excited that WCJC was awarded the TRiO SSS Grant and is passionate about helping students achieve their educational goals.
Phone: (979) 532-6478
Email: falconj@wcjc.eduShayna Guerra is the TRiO SSS Success Advisor/Coordinator. Shayna has been a full-time employee at WCJC since 2010. She received her A.A.S. Degree from Wharton County Junior College. She continued her education at the University of Houston-Victoria receiving a B.A.A.S. in Psychology followed by her M.Ed. in Higher Education and Administration at Texas Tech University. As a first-generation student herself, Shayna is excited about being able to use her own personal experiences while helping this unique group of students.
Phone: (979) 532-6477
Email: guerras@wcjc.eduElizabeth Argote is the TRiO SSS Clerk. Elizabeth has been with a full-time employee in TRiO at WCJC since 2016. She is currently in the process of completing her Associate’s Degree in Psychology. Elizabeth is also a first-generation college student and is also passionate about working closely with the TRiO population to help them reach their goals.
Phone: (979) 532-6476
“TRiO” is not an acronym. Rather, it refers to the three original programs that were funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, Upward Bound (1964), Educational Talent Search (1965), and Special Services (later named Student Support Services, 1968). They were the first national college access and retention programs to address the serious social and cultural barriers to education in America.
TRiO Student Support Services is a comprehensive academic support program designed to increase the retention and graduation/transfer rates of eligible participants. TRiO SSS helps students develop the academic mindset and motivation necessary to be successful not only here at WCJC, but also in their future academic and professional endeavors. TRiO SSS is sponsored by WCJC and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
Because TRiO SSS is federally funded the eligibility criteria are stringent. Students must be:
TRiO SSS is funded to serve only 144 students each year. Two-thirds of students must be low-income and first-generation college students or students with disabilities. One-third of disabled students must be low-income. Priority is given to students who are both low-income and first-generation college students. There is an application and screening/selection process.
TRiO SSS specifically serves low-income, first-generation college students and students with disabilities, because they are historically under-represented in higher education, and persist and graduate at a rate that is much lower than non-TRiO-eligible students. The program provides a wide variety of services, including but not limited to:
Comprehensive services and individual attention set us apart because we serve 144 students, we can provide more attention to each participant.
Students are required to have a parent signature to verify first-generation status and are required to submit tax information along with their application. We will review your application and the Advisor/Coordinator will reach out via student email to let you know if you are eligible to receive services. Please allow 2-3 weeks for us to process your application. For more information, students may contact TRiO SSS staff at 979-532-6476 or visit the office in the JM Hodges Library TRiO Center.
No, students do not need to reapply each year.
To ensure students are getting the most from the TRiO SSS services offered, students must be willing to meet the following expectations:
Attend our new member orientation in the fall and Spring to learn more about Student Support Services at WCJC.
