NEW WILMINGTON — Westminster College has appointed Duke Center native Erik Austin as director of the New Wilmington institution’s new TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program to benefit underrepresented students.

Austin, who worked previously with the TRIO SSS program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, will oversee the college’s efforts to provide services and resources to first-generation, income eligible students and students with disabilities. Of the currently enrolled Westminster students, 38% are identified as low income, 17% are first-generation college students and 7% have a declared disability.

Austin earned his undergraduate degree from Pitt-Bradford and a master’s from Purdue University.