$55,000 Grant Supports Student Emergency Fund at Cayuga Community College

FULTON – Cayuga Community College now has additional resources to help students ride out unforeseen financial hardships and emergencies.

Students can apply for grants to help cover unexpected expenses, which will allow them to return to their academics as quickly as possible, with the goal of keeping more students on track toward graduation.

Donations from the Gerstner Family Foundation and the Heckscher Foundation for Children support the Student Emergency Grant program at Cayuga that is part of a SUNY pilot program with seven SUNY campuses.

“SUNY recognizes that students are not impervious to crises and we want to do all we can to support students when a situation arises that will have a lasting impact on their ability to complete college,” said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson.

“Many of Cayuga’s students are balancing multiple life priorities while enrolled in college,” said Dr. Brian M. Durant, President of Cayuga Community College. “These emergency grants will be vital to keeping our students enrolled during a time of crisis.”

A Student Emergency Fund Committee will evaluate each application and qualified expenses will be paid on the student’s behalf.

Emergency aid will be provided to help students who face an unexpected need, such as medical emergencies, natural disasters, domestic violence, theft, loss of employment, homelessness or threat of eviction.

Examples of eligible expenses include rent, utilities, clothing, furniture, medical expenses, back-up childcare, back-up transportation, and replacement of stolen items needed for school.

“These funds will increase our resources and support students to increase the likelihood of persistence and ultimate goal completion,” said Dr. Durant.

“The Cayuga County Community College Foundation is very appreciative to both the Gerstner Family Foundation and Heckscher Foundation for Children, as well as the SUNY Impact Foundation. Their leadership will help us meet the needs of those students who may not be able to continue at Cayuga because of an unforeseen emergency,” said Guy Cosentino, Executive Director of the Cayuga County Community College Foundation.

Founded in 1953, Cayuga Community College is one of 64 accredited institutions that make up the State University of New York system.

Cayuga offers open access and an affordable gateway to higher education, with courses and degree programs offered at campuses in Auburn and Fulton and online.

Cayuga Community College provides a strong liberal arts foundation for further study and career preparation.

The college also addresses identified community needs through targeted training and personal enrichment programs.

By sustaining academic excellence within a supportive learning environment, the college, a careful steward of human and fiscal resources, serves as a valuable asset to the development of our local, regional, and global communities.

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