SMWC makes $319K available for student relief

SAINT MARY OF THE WOODS, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) – Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College says it will distribute cash grants totaling $319,000 to all campus-based students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The college says grants are coming from funds made available through the federal stimulus package.

The college says all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled as of March 2020 could receive a grant of $700 from the SMWC Emergency Student Relief Fund.

The funds were made possible through the U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. The fund is designed to provide relief to students throughout the nation who were forced to leave campus midsemester due to the pandemic.

Dr. Dottie King, president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College said, “This crisis has created a level of added anxiety and stress, disrupting the lives of our students in ways we cannot imagine. Which is why we are making the intentional decision to distribute this money to as many students as possible within the guidelines set forth by the government.”

The college says 451 campus-based students were notified about procedures to apply for funding, and grants will be distributed directly to students for technology or loss due to disruption of childcare, housing and healthcare. Funds may also be used for books and supplies, but the college says they cannot be used for lost tuition or campus housing.

King added, “Being a Woods student means being part of a family. It is both a responsibility and an honor to care for these members of our family, and I am glad that we will be able to alleviate some of the burden this situation has created for their lives.”

The application deadline is May 8, after which time the college says it will disburse the funds by check directly to students. Any remaining funds following the first round of grants will be allocated to students with the greatest need during a second round.