CARES Package To Help Cleveland State Students

Friday, April 17, 2020
Don Foley, Cleveland State Community College

Students enrolled at Cleveland State Community College this semester will soon receive aid courtesy of the federal CARES Act. CARES, Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security, has been established to help students continue their education during these difficult times. The aid is to help offset estimated cost of living expenses due to COVID-19 moving work and study away from campus and into remote settings.

Throughout the life of the aid package, Cleveland State will receive just under two million dollars to help relieve financial burdens to the college and its students.

Dual-Enrollment students and employees enrolled in special industry training programs will not be eligible for this relief. The first round of deposits will apply to spring semester students and will be deposited into student accounts or mailed by check. The same method in which students received their aid earlier in the semester is the same method in which this award will be disbursed.

“We are pleased this is targeted at our students first,” said Cleveland State Community College President Dr. Bill Seymour. “We know that many are facing financial challenges now and in the future. These funds will help them stay on track to complete their college education.” The CARES Aid package will call for another student disbursement to take place later this year for Fall 2020 CSCC students. No announcement on the time frame for that allocation.

Additional funding will also be coming to Cleveland State, as well as all colleges across the country, in the next few weeks to offer further help to the institutions. “These funds will help cover expenses we have already incurred due to COVID-19 and provide support to the college as we negotiate an unknown coming school year,” said Dr. Seymour.

The CARES Aid package asks for relief to go to those in greatest need first. Pell-eligible students at Cleveland State will get first priority when it comes to this additional funding. Students will not need to do anything additionally in order to receive this funding. Aid to students will be automatically applied to their accounts.