Abstract
Brief Literature Review The literature review explored the effects of undergraduate student support services and activities on the retention and academic success of low-income and first-generation college students. Topics from demographics, disadvantages, and strengths inherent to low-income and first-generation college students to institutional and social barriers as well as strengths from lessons learned and research already done on TRIO programs were studied. Statement of the Problem As budgets shrink the talk of accountability as well as the need for programs to reach ever-increasing levels of efficacy, expand. On the national level TRIO programs have proven success, however, it is just as important to demonstrate whether or not a program is also achieving significant success at the campus it is situated in. If a TRIO Student Support Service (SSS) program fails to establish itself, as a valid student support service for the campus, the need for it would likely be called into question. Worse yet, the opportunity to solidify itself as model college retention program could be lost and at higher risk is that programs ability to raise awareness and acceptance of TRIO programs, funding for which is held at the whim of our politicians on Capitol Hill. Methodology The study is quantitative and relies on descriptive statistics and statistical analysis of the data gathered. The statistical tools used include a two-tailed T test, and a measure of linear correlation. The statistical analysis of the data was used to determine if membership in the UC Davis TRIO SSS program has an impact, positive or negative, on TRIO SSS participant GPA and retention rates through the seventh quarter. Conclusions and Recommendations The study concluded that participation in the UC Davis TRIO SSS program does have a significant and positive impact on student retention/persistence rates through the seventh term of enrollment at UC Davis. In exploring the GPA variable the study revealed justification for services rendered as well as evidence of a possible positive impact on GPA. Recommendations range from ways to refine the current study to areas of further research broken down by sex, ethnicity, region, and other demographics.