Student Association approved a $20,000 allocation to the SVSU Student Emergency Fund at its April 13 meeting.
The fund was originally for students with temporary financial setbacks but has been expanded to aid students with financial emergencies resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, said Dean of Students Sidney Childs.
Childs said the fund can be used for medications, academic expenses, travel costs and short-term expenses, as well as other needs that can be found on the Student Affairs webpage.
“The application is on the Student Affairs website and shared with students on the Connection Blast, and information about the fund and other resources was shared with the college deans,” he said.
The awards, each a maximum of $500, may affect students’ financial aid, Childs said. Students’ individual financial needs are taken into consideration before awards are granted.
He said he was happy to see SA step up to help other students during the pandemic.
“(SA has) exhibited leadership during this time,” he said. “I am extremely delighted to see this happen, as the SVSU Emergency Fund has a limited dollar amount. The contribution from SA is very much appreciated, as we can assist more students who are experiencing financial hardship because of COVID-19.”
SA President Thomas Metiva explained the decision to allocate funds to the SVSU Foundation.
“Knowing that our school year was cut short due to COVID-19, we had a lot of remaining money within our budget,” he said. “We met as an association and discussed ways we could utilize this money to benefit the student body. We ultimately came up with allocating the money to students who were directly impacted by the pandemic in one way or another, and from there, we reached out to the SVSU Foundation to work out some logistics.”
Metiva said he thought the fund was a great way to give back to students who have been affected by COVID-19.
“In these trying times, it is important to evaluate who we can make the most out of a situation, and I think allocating this money was a step in the right direction,” he said.
He encourages students to reach out to SA or the SVSU Foundation with any questions regarding the fund and to apply on SVSU’s scholarship webpage.
“The Student Association wants what is best for the student body, and we hope that this initiative reaches as many students as possible,” he said.
To apply, visit SVSU’s Student Emergency Fund webpage.
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