UCO 1200 First Year Trip to the Grandfather Mountain Biosphere, Fall 2022.
Embedded Files
First Year Student Retreat & Picnic, Fall 2023.
WHO WE ARE
WHO WE ARE
TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) provides comprehensive services to 200 students who are first-generation and/or meet certain federal income guidelines. We provide opportunities for academic development, assist students with college requirements, and motivate students to successfully complete their degree. We have been a program at App State for over 50 years!
Follow us on instagram @sssappstate to get additional program reminders and updates!
Support for TRIO Student Support Services is provided by the U.S. Department of Education and Appalachian State University.
Graduation Celebration, Spring 2023
Eligibility
Eligibility
Students are eligible for services from TRIO Student Support Services if they meet one or more of the criteria listed below:
First generation college student (neither parent nor guardian has received a Bachelor's degree, older siblings may have attended college.)
Meet one of the above criterion and have a documented learning or physical disability
Application
Application
Please visit our official TRIO Student Support Services webpage at Appalachian State University (click here) for application information.
Students visiting the Biltmore Estate in Asheville during our annual Spring Service Trip, Spring 2024.
Students spending time together after dinner on our program's Spring Service Trip to Wilmington NC, 2024
50 Years and counting!
50 Years and counting!
TRIO SSS Program Celebrated 50 Years at appalachian state in fall 2023
TRIO SSS Program Celebrated 50 Years at appalachian state in fall 2023
Local alumni led a career-focused panel at our 50th Celebration Event, Fall 2023.
Cathia, our Director (middle) with two local Alumni at our celebration event.
Students working on our Community mural [see right side] at the event.
TRIO SSS Community Mural Description
In the horizon of the piece is the TRIO SSS logo designed by TRIO SSS 2025 graduate, Ruth Grant. Underneath the “sun” logo and mountains sits D.D. Dougherty Hall, the building TRIO SSS has been in since beginning at ASU. As the viewer’s eyes move across the scene they are drawn to a large tree. The roots of TRIO SSS at App State have inspired numerous other student support programs: tutoring services, learning support services, and the Murray Family ACCESS scholarship program. The three branches of the tree represent these three programs. Next, we see a single graduate represented of the hundreds, if not thousands, who have graduated from our program and lastly, a mirror is displayed as an interactive component for all current students to visualize their future as an empowered TRIO SSS Mountaineer alumni joining those who have gone before them and welcoming in the next cohort of students. The mural was created as a collaborative community art project celebrating our 50th Anniversary of the program in September of 2023. Signatures of participants who assisted in painting it can be found in the bottom right corner.
Meet the TRIO SSS Team
Meet the TRIO SSS Team
Allyson Murphy has been with TRIO SSS for 5 years. She was a graduate student mentor in 2019-2020, was Assistant Director from 2022-2026 and is now the Interim Director.
Hometown: Houghton, NY
Education: Bachelor's of Arts double major in Art History & English, Master's of Arts in Professional School Counseling
Favorite Part of Job: "I love working with students as they transition to college and begin forming their campus communities in SSS and beyond and one of my favorite aspects of community building is co-leading the TRIO SSS Spring Service Trips each year!"
Favorite Things to Do Outside of Work: "I love being outside walking/running/hiking on trails in the area with my spouse. My love of hiking is actually what brought me to Boone in the first place! I also enjoy painting and being a part of the local art scene."
Mady Fitzgerald has been an advisor and instructor for TRIO SSS for 8 years. She was the graduate teaching assistant in 2012-2013 and has been full time since 2017
Hometown: Murphy, NC
Education: Bachelor's of Arts in English, Master's of Arts in English, Community College Teaching
Favorite Part of Job: "I love working with students in the classroom to create an environment where they feel safe to take risks and be authentically themselves. I also really love working one-on-one with students and getting to really know them!"
Favorite Things to Do Outside of Work: "I love spending time with my little family. I have two little girls (4 year old and 18 months) that keep me and my partner busy! We love hiking, live music, relaxing at home, and enjoying our little mountain community."
Amber Kirscht has been our University Program Associate since 2024. She has worked on campus as a RA in her undergrad years and with Campus Dining in different capacities since 2022.
Hometown: Port Tobacco, MD
Education: Bachelor's of Science in Political Science, current Master of Business Administration Candidate
Favorite Part of Job: "The best part of my job is getting to serve some of the hardest working students on campus. Watching them succeed and accomplish so much is amazing to see!"
Favorite Things to Do Outside of Work: "I love to read, play video games, and crochet in my downtime. I also have a 5 year old daughter and a 4 year old son and 4 cats that provide endless entertainment and laughs, spending time at home with them absolutely fills my cup."
CONTACT INFORMATION
CONTACT INFORMATION
The best way to reach any of us is by email. Please allow a 24-48 hour response time. We typically do not respond on the weekend.
We also have an open door policy so if we are in our office and not in a meeting, you are welcome to pop by anytime.
In addition to our professional staff team, we have multiple graduate students who work closely with our students for mentoring and other professional development opportunities. We also have multiple campus partners around campus that help us support our students in being successful in college.
In addition to our professional staff team, we have multiple graduate students who work closely with our students for mentoring and other professional development opportunities. We also have multiple campus partners around campus that help us support our students in being successful in college.
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