St. Joe’s students who are experiencing financial hardship during the coronavirus pandemic are able to request financial assistance through the Students in Need fund.

Funded by donors, Students in Need is for one-time unexpected expenses, up to $250, and cannot be used for tuition fees.

“This could include emergency travel, temporary housing and unexpected expenses related to food, transportation, safety and security, as well as the packing and shipping associated with sending belongings home,” according to the form. 

Kim Allen-Stuck, Ph.D., assistant vice president of Student Success & Educational Support, said within the first two weeks of advertising the fund, it collected $3,000 in donations.

The Office of University Advancement has also sent out emails encouraging members of the St. Joe’s community to donate, Allen-Stuck said.

In the past, donors have contributed to the fund to help students with small tuition grants, textbooks and other travel expenses. The fund had about $10,000 in the fall 2019 semester, Allen-Stuck said.

“We didn’t send out the form publicly because on the one hand, it’s only $3,000, and it is also not going towards tuition gaps,” Allen-Stuck said. “We think this way, we’ll be able to manage it better.” 

Students who need assistance can reach out to staff in The Success Center, The Advising Support Center, Counseling and Psychological Services, the Office of Residence Life and the Office of Information Technology.  

“All those areas have access to the form, and if a student is talking about struggling then they are given the form,” Allen-Stuck said.

The university will not address tuition gaps until the summer, Allen-Stuck said. 

“Because people will have lost jobs, etc, the Office of Financial Aid will be taking the lead on helping families to address new financial realities, but not until the new fiscal year begins,” Allen-Stuck said.