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Student Support Services (SSS)
The Student Support Services (SSS) Program is a federally funded TRiO program that offers year-round academic, and career personalized advising services for college success to eligible students and comprehensively supports them until they graduate. SSS enrolls approximately 500 UMass Boston students per year.
Our dedicated and experienced advisors offer appointments and walk-in hours throughout the week and are always available to assist students with a wide range of issues and concerns that might arise during their time at UMass Boston.
Eligibility
Services are available to individuals who:
- Are first generation college students (whose parents did not obtain a minimum of a bachelors degree),
- Are low-income as determined by Federal Guidelines, or
- Individuals with documented physical, learning or psychiatric/emotional disabilities.
To receive assistance, students must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a program of postsecondary education at UMass Boston.
Services and Programs
The SSS program is completely free to you, and in addition to comprehensive advising, SSS also includes the following:
- Financial aid counseling.
- Connections to on- and off-campus resources.
- A one-credit Foundations course dedicated to helping students acclimate to the university as well as financial literacy and career development workshops.
- Community building activities.
- Supplemental tutoring and mentoring.
- Opportunities to receive grants towards your tuition payment.
- Laptop Loaner Program.
Peer Tutoring
SSS offers free peer tutoring services for a wide variety of courses. Please sign up for peer tutoring using the button below and consider attending our drop-in hours for math or general education courses.
Math Tutoring Drop-ins
Tuesday 12-2 p.m.
Thursday 9-11 a.m., 1:30-2:30 p.m.
Reading and Writing Drop-ins
(ENGL 101, ENGL 102, First-Year Seminars, Intro-Level Gen Eds)
Monday 1-2 p.m., 4-5 p.m.
Tuesday 2-5 p.m.
Impact
Student Support Services participants consistently outperform all first-year students at the university in key performance indicators. In the most recent year for which complete data were available:
- 71% of participants were in Good Academic Standing (2.0 or higher) during the 2022-2023 academic year.
- 85% of participants either graduated or were retained in 2022-2023.
- 66% of the 2017 cohort graduated within six years (by 2023).
Advising Team
Welcome to the Student Support Services (SSS) / TRIO community! Please email your advisor to schedule an individual appointment by clicking on the name below.
Program Director
Lorena Fuentes
617.297.6256
Assistant Director
Joel Mora
617.287.5820
Assistant Director
Benny Berger
857.271.8085
Academic Advisor
Albis Mejia
617.287.5820
Academic Advisor
Erica Lam
617.287.5820
Academic Advisor
Franklin Ortiz
617.287.5820
Drop-in Hours
During the add/drop period, from September 3 through September 10, SSS will offer in-person drop-in advising hours from 9 am to 5 pm during business days (the office is closed on the Labor Day holiday and on weekends).
Please see below for a schedule of our regular drop-in hours for the Fall 2024 semester, which will start on September 12.
| Day | Time | Advisor |
|---|---|---|
| Mondays | 3-4 p.m. | Lorena Fuentes |
| Tuesdays | 3-4 p.m. | Erica Lam |
| Wednesdays | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Benny Berger |
| Thursdays | 9-10 a.m. | Albis Mejia |
| Thursdays | 2-3 p.m. | Joel Mora |
| Fridays | 1-2 p.m. | Franklin Ortiz |
Contact Us
If you have a question or want to make a comment, email Student Support Services.
Office Location
Student Support Services
Campus Center, 1st Floor, Room 1100
UMass Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125-3393
Phone: 617.287.5820 Fax: 617.287.5828