TRIO Talent Search Grant Renewed for Another 5 Years

The Graceland University TRIO Talent Search program has been notified that their federal grant funding was renewed for a new 5-year grant cycle. This is a $2.157 million grant that allows Talent Search to serve 778 students in Southern Iowa and Northern Missouri for the next five years.  The Department of Education receives thousands of grant applications from programs across the country. Graceland TRIO Talent Search was one of only 435 programs selected, a testament to its quality. 

Talent Search was created as part of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to assist students applying for newly authorized federal financial aid for postsecondary education. The TRIO name itself was born four years later when the Higher Education Act of 1965 was amended in 1968 to include the Special Services for Disadvantaged Students program—what is now called Student Support Services. The Upward Bound program, Talent Search and Student Support Services formed a “trio” of federal programs designed to foster increased educational opportunity and post-secondary success. 

Talent Search is an invaluable program concentrates on supporting students with a disadvantaged background to finish high school and pursue a college education. It provides a wide variety of services to students including academic advising, ACT test preparation, financial aid, career advising, study skills, and college research information.  

Julie Neas, educational talent search director said, “We’re really excited to be able to serve students and to help them succeed at the post-secondary level. Our students are incredibly talented and programs like these are often scarce in rural America, so we are thrilled for this opportunity.”  

Graceland University is incredibly proud of the TRIO Talent Search Program and looks forward to what the next 5 years have to offer. TRIO Talent Search services are free to qualified 6th -12th grade students in the following school districts: Cainsville, Central Decatur, Chariton, Diagonal, Lamoni, Mount Ayr, Ridgeway or South Harrison.