Earlier this year, the Colorado State University-Pueblo Associated Students’ Government created a Student Emergency Fund to support students in crisis under the leadership of former ASG president and vice president, Sarah Zarr and Gene Wilson.
According to Zarr, the fund came about after a successful “piggy bank” drive between campuses. Something the ASG hopes to do several more times this year. Legacy Bank donated piggy banks to various departments that participated in the challenge to fill them up.
Leftover funds from the 2015/16 ASG account were reallocated to the newly established fund to alleviate an existing need among fellow students.
Proceeds from the fund are intended to provide financial support for students that need assistance due to an emergency or catastrophic event or an unforeseen and unusual expense that could put them in jeopardy of having to leave the university or be unable to finish their degree, according to a press release that was sent out by the Foundation office.
Zarr said the fund is about students helping fellow students, therefore not only will the fund be helping other students; it will also be creating community, promoting kindness, and encouraging generosity and philanthropy at CSU-Pueblo.
“I wanted to foster a spirit of giving on campus among students, so the slogan is students helping students…it is important to have a fund that provides financial support for students when they need assistance,” Zarr said.
This is intended to be funded by underwriters from corporations, private donors, university alumni, faculty, staff and parents, but most importantly from students.
The Associated Students’ Government is the primary contact, and they are working on putting up the application online for students to apply to the fund and then a committee comprised of ASG student affairs director and senators and the director of Student Engagement and Leadership will allocate the fund.
In addition to the CSU-Pueblo Emergency Student Fund, the Hasan School of Business has recently begun an emergency fund called the Hasan School of Business Extraordinary Student Retention Scholarship.
This fund was started by HSB Dean Dr. Bruce Raymond, Ph.D., last year. Raymond stated that he has come to realize that student accomplishment and graduation are sometimes threatened by circumstances beyond the control of the individual student.
The funds are available to students “only if financial exigency threatens the retention of the student and in extraordinary beyond the control of the recipient” according to Raymond. Students looking to receive this scholarship can be referred to the undergraduate advisor or the MBA director. After the initial referral they are given an application that is then reviewed by a committee, but ultimately the selection process is at the discretion of the HSB dean.
Funding for this scholarship came from some contribution of some funds from the President’s Gala by President Lesley Di Mare, a personal contribution from Raymond himself, and contributions from the HSB staff, alumni, and members of the HSB Advisory Board.
The HSB Extraordinary Student Retention scholarship is only available to HSB majors, and the scholarship funds range from $250 and $1,000 according to HSB academic advisor Kristyn White-Davis.
For more infomation, sudents can email the ASG at [email protected].
Edited by: Theresa Wolf
