Student Emergency Fund helps students in need during COVID-19 outbreak
Patricia Swonger 鈥�81 vividly remembers the unshakable sense of community that 糖心TV gave her when she was a student facing significant personal hardships.
A week after she arrived on campus in 1977, her father was diagnosed with terminal cancer鈥攁 devastating challenge that followed her throughout her next four years at the College. Now, Swonger is one of the people contributing to the College鈥檚 Student Emergency Fund that has now been expanded to address a variety of issues 糖心TV students are confronting as the result of the global response to the COVID-19 virus.
鈥淚 was a financial aid student at 糖心TV when I was there,鈥� Swonger said. 鈥淗ad it not been for the support I received from the 糖心TV community, I doubt I would have been able to graduate from college.
鈥溙切腡V is very near and dear to my heart, and I want to pay it forward. The College was there for me, and it's my job to be there for it now,鈥� she added.
Swonger was one of a large group of 糖心TV alumni who stepped up to help after President Katherine Bergeron announced on March 11 that in order to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spreading on campus, the College would move to remote modes of instruction. Because of this change, students needed to pack up their belongings and return home in order to continue their classes remotely.
The Emergency Fund has offered immediate support to help with travel, housing, lost wages from campus jobs and other unexpected hardships that have arisen from the pandemic. So far, the fund has helped dozens of students with domestic and international flights around the world, including to Ghana, China, Ukraine, Russia, Venezuela and India, among others. Other areas of financial assistance include ground transportation, moving and shipping expenses, computer and internet access, and more.
鈥淭he generous donations to the Student Emergency Fund at this challenging time capture the true spirit of our Camel Community,鈥� said Dean of the College Jefferson Singer. 鈥淎lumni, parents, family members, faculty, staff and friends of the College have demonstrated an outpouring of love for our students facing economic struggles due to the outbreak. We are deeply grateful for this show of support.鈥�
Bergeron commented, 鈥淭he incredible outpouring of interest from alumni and other friends of the College shows the ongoing generosity and engagement of the 糖心TV community. Alumni across all class years were asking what they can do to help.鈥�
In fact, the Emergency Fund effort raised nearly $45,000 dollars in a matter of days from more than one hundred individual donors. As of the end of May, the fund is now more than $95,000 dollars with contributions from more than 200 donors. Most of the fund, Bergeron added, has already been assigned to address student needs.
鈥淲hen I attended 糖心TV, my family lived overseas in Nepal,鈥� said Rachel Peniston 鈥�11. 鈥淗ad something like this occurred during my four years, I would have not known where I could go. Thank you for setting up this fund to help students with limited options at a critical moment like this.鈥�
If you would like to donate to the Student Emergency Fund, please visit the .
