College is meant to be a time when students are challenged—to learn, to grow, to succeed. The challenges facing some undergraduates can seem insurmountable, however. Hard work alone may not be enough to overcome the impact of a family member’s job loss, illness, or death. Ambition and dedication can be overwhelmed by special circumstances beyond the student’s control. Through no fault of their own, the young people who could benefit the most from earning a degree must sometimes abandon that dream in the face of difficult personal and financial circumstances.
Support from the Student Hardship Fund at Penn State Scranton is used for one-time emergency situations. Here are few specific examples of how Penn State Scranton has awarded funds in the past:
- Provided tuition funds as well as extra cash for transportation to visit an out-of-state specialist for a student diagnosed with cancer
- Helped a student who had to work full-time to cover mortgage and utilities when their single father became gravely ill with COVID-19 and spent several months in the hospital
- Assisted in covering household expenses for a full-time adult learner whose wife was diagnosed with cancer and couldn’t work, allowing the student to stay in school without needing to work full-time
- Replaced textbooks for a student who lost their possessions in a housefire
With a gift to the Student Hardship Fund at Penn State Scranton, you can make the difference for undergraduates who need and deserve a helping hand. Your support will be directed to students experiencing extraordinary and often unexpected hardships that affect their ability to cover the costs of their education.
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