ŠćÉ«app

Kent State Creates Emergency Fund to Help Students Financially During COVID-19 Crisis

ŠćÉ«app announced the creation of the Pay It Flash Forward Emergency Fund that will help students who are unexpectedly finding themselves in financial need as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ā€œOur students need us now more than ever,ā€ said Kent State President Todd Diacon. ā€œI am confident that our Golden Flash family will answer that call, because despite the uncertainty we are all facing at this time, there is one thing that remains constant: Flashes take care of Flashes.ā€

More than $15,800 was raised within 24 hours of the fundā€™s launch via the presidentā€™s March 26 email to all university alumni.

With the recent shift to remote learning for the remainder of the semester and other challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, some students and their families are encountering unexpected financial challenges associated with travel, food, housing, technology needs and, in some cases, lost wages by both the student and parents.

ā€These funds will help students who need it most and will keep them on track to their ultimate goal: graduation,ā€ said Steve Sokany, Kent State vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the ŠćÉ«app Foundation. ā€œPerhaps most importantly, itā€™s a reminder to our students that we are here for them. They are a part of our Kent State family, and we are in this together.ā€

In order to distribute funds quickly and efficiently, Kent State is streamlining the application process. Undergraduate and graduate students who are experiencing a financial need and who are attending any of the universityā€™s eight campuses may apply.

Students - Apply for the Pay It Flash Forward Emergency Grant

Those interested in supporting this fund can visit the .

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Media Contacts:
Eric Mansfield, emansfie@kent.edu, 330-672-2797
Leigh Greenfelder, lgreenfe@kent.edu, 330-672-7108

Stark Media Contacts:
Melissa Seeton, mseeton@kent.edu, 330-244-3262
Beth Fuciu, bfuciu@kent.edu, 330-244-3225

POSTED: Tuesday, March 31, 2020 08:06 AM
Updated: Friday, December 9, 2022 11:22 AM
WRITTEN BY:
Division of Institutional Advancement