Student Support Services

Student Support Services (SSS) is a student retention program sponsored by St. Olaf College with substantial support from the U.S. Department of Education, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the Hearst Endowment. The program is designed to help ensure academic success for St. Olaf students who meet federal eligibility guidelines and are committed to enhancing their academic experience at the college level.

The Student Support Services program is one of three TRiO programs originally funded under the Higher Education Act of 1965 whose objective is to help students overcome class, social, and cultural barriers to complete their college education. The program provides services for up to 160 eligible St. Olaf students each year.

The program services range from advising and employment referral to sponsoring leadership activities; from tutoring to graduate school preparation; from incentives for academic achievement to financial aid advising. One of the truly unique features of the Student Support Services program is its Summer Bridge Program which provides qualified students with a jump start on the academic year.

Program Highlights:
  • Academic Advising and Referrals
  • TI-89 Calculator Rental Program
  • Cultural Events and Leadership Activities
  • Financial Aid Advising
  • Graduate School Preparation
  • Recognition for Academic Achievement
  • Research, Internships and Scholarship Opportunities 
  • Supplemental Instruction (SI)
  • SSS Supplemental Grant & Hearst Endowment Grant
  • SSS Summer Bridge Program