From left: Students McKayla Yazzie, Tyrone Castillo, Nakeisha Begaye and Isaac Toehe, who are all members of TRIO Student Support Services, share a laugh at The University of New Mexico-Gallup on July 18, 2025.

UNM-Gallup receives federal grant to continue TRIO SSS

Categories: Students   Faculty   Staff   Community  

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Branch campus program has served more than 1,300 low-income, first-generation students over 25 years

By Richard Reyes, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025

GALLUP, N.M. — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded The University of New Mexico-Gallup a federal TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant totaling more than $1.4 million to improve college retention and graduation rates among low-income, first-generation students and students with disabilities.

The total grant award for UNM-Gallup is $1,456,085 for the next five years, which amounts to $291,217 annually. This award marks the continuation of 25 years of TRIO SSS services at UNM-Gallup. Since 2000, the program has served more than 1,300 students, helping them stay in school, earn degrees, and build meaningful careers.

Simms, who has been the director of the program for eight years, noted that UNM-Gallup students face unique challenges on their path to a college degree. These challenges include being the first in their families to attend college; navigating financial hardship; living in rural or tribal communities with limited access to resources; and balancing school with work, caregiving and other responsibilities.

“Rooted in a culturally responsive and student-centered approach, our program provides holistic support through academic tutoring, peer mentoring, financial aid and literacy guidance, transfer and career planning, and personalized advising,” Simms said.

An encouraging environment

For UNM-Gallup students like Nakeisha Begaye, TRIO SSS serves as a haven where students can connect with advisors and their peers to build a sense of community.

“TRIO is a family,” Begaye said. “The advisors do really take the time to figure out what you want to do, even if you’re an iffy person between degrees. The mentors and tutors really want to help push you to succeed and pass classes and also uplift other students when they come in.”

When Begaye graduated from high school, she enrolled in a summer bridge program at UNM-Gallup called Lobo Academy and then did one semester with TRIO SSS. However, she quit school because of family issues and financial struggles at the time.

Later, two members of the TRIO SSS team visited her at work and encouraged her to come back. So, she did.

“I had a good mentor that told me they were hiring for student workers, so I decided to quit my job and apply here at UNM-Gallup,” Begaye said. “I stuck with TRIO ever since then. They brought me out of my shell and really helped me.”

Learning to navigate college

UNM-Gallup student Antoinette Marianito, of Church Rock, experienced a similar journey, and she also lauded the benefits of the TRIO SSS program.

Marianito is a first-generation college student working toward an associate degree in human services with a concentration in substance use. Her reason for going into that field was a personal one.

Now, Marianito is working as the social media/student office assistant for TRIO SSS and is on track to graduate this fall. Then, she wants to transfer to UNM in Albuquerque to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

“My parents didn’t go to college,” she said. “TRIO really helped me. It was my first time back [at UNM-Gallup] and I didn’t know where to start. They helped me with navigating college.”

A welcoming and supportive space

UNM-Gallup student McKayla Yazzie, of Bread Springs, also credited TRIO SSS and Upward Bound for helping her get on track with her higher education.

As a high school student, Yazzie got involved in Upward Bound and found a drive for going to school and finding a career that she was passionate about.

“I was struggling,” she said. “I was going down a spiral and having issues with financial stuff and my education. I got in contact with TRIO and told them I wanted to transfer back to Gallup. They were welcoming and didn’t put you down.”

After finding a new path with the help of her tutors, mentors and advisors, Yazzie graduated from UNM-Gallup in the 2024 fall semester with an associate degree in business administration. Now, she is taking online courses through UNM Albuquerque as she pursues a bachelor’s degree.

Meanwhile, she has been able to maintain her job at the Gallup campus as a peer tutor/mentor for TRIO SSS.

“Being welcomed into TRIO and coming in all the time helped me with time management, organizational skills and all my classes,” Yazzie said. “I really did improve a lot, which is amazing.”

A proven track record

Through individualized services including academic tutoring, financial aid, scholarship guidance, career exploration, personal and academic counseling, and mentoring, TRIO SSS empowers students to overcome barriers to success.

These comprehensive supports make it significantly more likely that students will complete their degree or successfully transfer, with the lowest possible debt.

Nationally, the SSS program has a proven track record. According to a rigorous 2019 evaluation by the U.S. Department of Education, students in SSS at two-year institutions were 48% more likely to earn an associate degree or transfer to a four-year school, and students at four-year institutions were 18% more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree compared to similar peers not in the program.

“Some of our proudest accomplishments are seeing students, who come in feeling isolated and unsure of their abilities, grow into confident leaders who are now mentoring others, leading student clubs, and returning to their communities as role models,” Simms said. “Some of our alumni have some back to the community to serve in various roles completing the cycle of support. Every student’s journey is different, but TRIO/SSS tries to ensure that college isn’t just a dream, but it becomes a reality.”

SSS is one of eight federal TRIO programs funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965 to remove social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education. Since its inception in 1968, SSS has helped millions of low-income, first-generation students graduate from college and contribute to their communities and the economy.

For more information about about TRIO Student Support Services at UNM-Gallup, visit www.gallup.unm.edu/trio or contact Program Director Kimimila Simms at 505-863-7654 or ksimms@unm.edu.

Sports equipment attendant Isaac Toehe, right, and peer tutor/mentor Nakeisha Begaye share a laugh inside TRIO Student Support Services at The University of New Mexico-Gallup on July 18, 2025.