Financial assistance program helps local college students
CRANBERRY TWP — More than 316,000 households in southwestern Pennsylvania struggle to afford basic needs such as housing, childcare, food, transportation and technology — challenges that significantly impact college students.
To address this growing problem, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania created the College Emergency Financial Assistance fund in partnership with local colleges to provide financial support to first-generation and nontraditional college students.
United Way hosted an event Thursday, Nov. 5, at Giant Eagle Corporate Headquarters, where its representatives and those from Butler County Community College, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh and a BC3 student spoke to donors about the program and its impact.
“We provide $1,000 one-time opportunities to students who are in need of addressing some of their needs like housing, rent, utilities and transportation challenges that they may have, and the goal of the program is to help students stay on track to graduate,” said Damon Bethea, manager of Building for Success in School and Life at United Way.
United Way has partnered with Penn State Fayette, Laurel Business Institute, Westmoreland County Community College, Duquesne University, Carlow University, Slippery Rock University and BC3, according to senior director of regional impact Jesse Sprajcar.
“We are committed to helping our students, and so many of the challenges they face are related to finances. What this program has done is create another opportunity to address emergencies that students may face,” said Belinda Richardson, provost and vice president for academic affairs at BC3.
Richardson added that two common challenges students at BC3 face are car trouble and limited access to technology. Because all BC3 students commute to campus, reliable transportation and access to a computer are essential.
Trinity Gowens, a BC3 student, shared her personal experience with the program.
“I started at the Cranberry campus of BC3, and my living situation fell through, so the Young Women’s Christian Association helped find me housing. But since I moved from Cranberry to Butler, I didn’t have the resources, so members of BC3 helped me find those resources,” Gowens said.
She said the fund offered a simple and quick process for receiving assistance with living expenses and food. The support inspired her to give back by working in BC3’s food pantry and helping expand its resources.
Kimberly Turner, director of economic advancement at YWCA Greater Pittsburgh, was also part of the panel and explained how her organization helps connect students with the fund.
“Typically, a student will talk to someone who they trust on campus, and together the student and the school will determine the challenge that the student is facing and see whether (the fund) can help,” Turner said.
