College offers COVID-19 Impact Grant to students

Dean+of+Access+and+Student+Success+Keyimani+Alford

PHOTO PROVIDED TO THE CLARION

Dean of Access and Student Success Keyimani Alford

Chris Bird, Managing Editor

Madison College is issuing emergency funding in the form of a COVID-19 Impact Grant to eligible students to help them through financial challenges.

The grant from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSSA) will cover any educationally related expense, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, transportation, room and board, personal expenses, and technology.

This is the second round of relief grants that the College has been able to distribute, with the first emergency funds coming from the CARES Act. The CARES Act was signed into law on March 27 of last year and provided institutions with some relief and funding to help support people, economically, through the pandemic. Madison College has also previously provided emergency grants through the Madison College Foundation Student Emergency Support Fund.

Dean of Access and Student Success Keyimani Alford shared how Madison College has approached distributing relief to students during COVID-19, and what they’ve done so far.

“We initially, for the CARES Act, got $5.5 million, where 2.75 million of those dollars had to be dedicated towards student grants,” said Alford.

In spring of 2020, Madison College dispersed that money to about 3,300 students. Based on the information the college had from its own emergency funding program, the college was able to focus this CARES Act money and spread it to where it was needed most. This money went towards student grants, technology support for students to help transition to online learning and helping support students throughout the year.

“Even with the funding that we were provided, it only could go to a certain population of students, which in this case was eligible Title IV students, those financial aid students. So, it didn’t help us reach all the students,” said Alford.

“Luckily, we had a partnership with the Foundation, where we were doing campaigns to raise additional emergency funding. We reached out to some community-based organizations like United Way and Boys’ and Girls’ Club, where we applied for grants to also try to support more than just the financial aid eligible students.”

Under CRRSSA the college can give student grants to a wider variety of students. Madison College began by identifying students who had already applied for FAFSA and those who were Pell grant eligible, providing $750 for the Pell students and $500 for non-Pell students.

The money from CRSSA is not limited just to those eligible for financial aid. The college created a 5-question survey, which is designed to be quick and straightforward, for any student to be able to apply for an emergency grant.

“I really take pride in (Madison College President) Dr. Daniels and the Cabinet, because they came to me as far as who was administering the program to say, ‘what do you truly need when it comes to supporting the students?’” said Alford. “We were able to dedicate 8.6 million dollars of the 12.7 million dollars that the college received” for direct student aid.

“The thing is, now with the funding it provides so much more flexibility. It allows us, in a sense to help more students, and to be more in tune to their needs. And also, being able to assist them more regularly, so we are going to be doing this again, over the span of the year being able to spend the 8.6 million dollars to help support students with student grants.”

There has already been $3 million of aid processed  for financial aid students totaling around 4,700 students, and it is anticipated that about 2,000 non-FAFSA students will also receive aid that will continue to be distributed as the semester goes on.

“We really want to make sure that all of our students know that, if you’re experiencing a financial hardship right now, you don’t have to battle it alone. We’re here to help support you while you’re a Madison College student,” Alford said.

The COVID Impact Grant is available to degree program students enrolled in one or more credits at Madison College with confirmed U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen status. The grant will be awarded each semester, starting this spring for Pell eligible FAFSA students ($750), Non-Pell eligible FAFSA students ($500), and Non FAFSA students who meet the criteria ($250). Those who don’t qualify for these grants can also apply for the College’s Dedicated Private Student Emergency Funding, for up to $500.

To apply for the Covid Impact Grant visit madisoncollege.edu/COVID-assist.

To apply for Private Student Emergency Funding visit apps7.madisoncollege.edu/private-student-emergency.