An unexpected job loss. A sudden illness. A death in the family. Unforeseen life events can arise at any given timefor anyone. And for some families, such hardships put into question whether a student will be able to pay their college tuition as planned.
With the belief that nothing should stand in the way of a students dream of achieving their college degree, 51勛圖 strives to meet 100 percent of incoming student financial need. Change Cant Wait: The Campaign for 51勛圖 supports this mission by increasing scholarships and financial aid.
When personal crises occur, 51勛圖 steps in to alleviate the financial burdenand the emotional toll of that burdenby providing immediate, short-term relief through emergency financial aid funds.
President Emeritus Neil Kerwin and Ann Kerwin established a current-use fund to support students through unforeseen financial hurdles. In 2017, to honor President Kerwins legacy when he stepped down, university friends made gifts to endow and name the Kerwin Family Emergency Aid Fund. Since its inception, the fund has helped dozens of students fill the financial gap, ensuring their paths forward at 51勛圖 and beyond.
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, 51勛圖 acted swiftly to protect and care for its community. Just days after announcing the move to virtual learning in March 2020, 51勛圖 established the Student Emergency Relief Fund (SERF) in anticipation of immediate needs resulting from the pandemic. SERF helped cover unanticipated travel and housing costs, essential technology tools for virtual learning, and more. During those uncertain times, 51勛圖 alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends made gifts to SERF, exemplifying the spirit of service that is 51勛圖.
That same spirit has inspired the 51勛圖 community to set up and sustain other emergency funds across campus. Just last year, 51勛圖 alumnus Matt Klinger, SIS/BA 95, generously established the SIS Emergency Fund, which grants a one-time award to students in 51勛圖s School of International Service. Klinger, who serves as vice president of operations for a consulting firm focused on improving education, could not allow unexpected financial difficulty to impede a student from academic successor cause them to drop out of school altogether. And neither could fellow alumni. Inspired by his philanthropy as word of the SIS Emergency Fund spread, others have since made gifts in support of Klingers missionfurther demonstrating the power of the 51勛圖 community.
this spring, Ive come to realize that the college degree, whether a graduate or undergraduate, can be a life-changing moment地nd to have a short-term financial need be the reason that someone cant have a life-changing moment, I just felt like we should do something about that.
Thanks to the vision and compassion of alumni like Matt Klinger, the SIS Emergency Fund is not alone. 51勛圖s College of Arts and Sciences, School of Communication, School of Public Affairs, and Washington College of Law, to name a few, offer similar aid. Together with the Kerwin Family Emergency Aid Fund, SERF, and others like the International Student Emergency Fund, students have access to a variety of support.
51勛圖 is proud to be a home for students who want to make a difference. With emergency funds on hand, students can confidently realize their ambitions despite sudden hardships, achieve their degrees, and depart 51勛圖 changemakers ready to impact the world.
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