OCCC wins national award for scaling TRIO student success practices

Oklahoma City Community College received the inaugural Council for Opportunity in Education Award for Institutional Effectiveness for embedding TRIO Student Support Services practices across campus. The honor includes a $10,000 grant and recognition for a model tied to stronger retention, completion and workforce outcomes in Oklahoma City.

Why it matters: - Oklahoma City Community College’s approach shows how a TRIO model can move beyond a single support program and become part of an institution-wide student success system. - The award points to a broader shift in community colleges: using mentoring, advising and academic coaching not only to improve graduation outcomes, but also to strengthen workforce readiness and economic mobility. - OCCC will present at the COE National Convening in September, giving the college a national platform to share its model.

What happened: - Oklahoma City Community College received the inaugural Council for Opportunity in Education Award for Institutional Effectiveness. - The national honor recognizes colleges that have scaled TRIO Student Support Services practices across campus to improve student outcomes. - The award is supported by ECMC Foundation and includes a $10,000 grant. - OCCC is scheduled to present at the COE National Convening in September.

The details: - OCCC has embedded TRIO-informed practices into its core student success model. - The college says those practices now reach thousands of students each year through structured academic support, personalized advising and workforce-aligned learning pathways. - The model includes proactive advising, academic coaching, tutoring, mentorship and support networks. - OCCC also connects students to internships, micro-credentials and transfer opportunities. - The college says the approach has delivered improved retention rates, increased course completion and expanded transfer and workforce opportunities, especially for first-generation and low-income students. - More than half of OCCC students are first-generation college students, and many balance work, family responsibilities and financial barriers. - OCCC offers 87 degree and certificate programs and more than 80 micro-credentials. - The college serves more than 23,000 students and was founded in 1972. - OCCC says its mission is “Student Success, Community Enrichment.” - The college says the campus model is designed to support persistence, completion and long-term success.

Between the lines: - The recognition suggests national interest in student support strategies that are built into the institution, not layered on as a separate service. - For a community college in one of the nation’s fastest-growing metro areas, the link between student support and workforce development is central to local economic needs. - COE President Kimberly Jones said institutions like OCCC show what it means to move from access to impact and that campus-wide TRIO practices are improving outcomes and economic mobility across the Oklahoma City region. - OCCC President Dr. Mautra Staley Jones said the recognition reflects the college’s commitment to building systems that support student success and statewide economic growth. - Crystal Mohamed, director of TRIO Grant Programs, said the goal was to make the TRIO blueprint the standard for every student at OCCC.

What’s next: - OCCC will present its institutional effectiveness model at the COE National Convening in September. - The college is likely to keep using micro-credentials, industry partnerships and transfer pathways to connect student success with immediate employment and continued education. - More information is available from Oklahoma City Community College.

The bottom line: - OCCC is being recognized for turning TRIO from a targeted support program into a campus-wide framework for student success and workforce mobility.