Bears Helping Bears

The fund will assist eligible students who have exhausted all other resources with emergency grant assistance.

“College students sometimes face unexpected financial emergencies such as a death in the family, severe illness, or a parent’s loss of a job,” says Suzanne Sparrow, director of student financial assistance. “For those students who have no resources to fall back on, these setbacks could mean the difference between remaining in school and dropping out. Knowing that, through this fund, we will be able to assist them with emergency grant assistance means we are one step closer to our goal of making an Ursinus education accessible to all students.”

The fund is supported through donations from members of the Ursinus College community. It was initiated by Will Abele ’61, a member of the Ursinus Board of Trustees, who intends to match the first $10,000 donated to the fund.

“Financial emergencies can have a significant impact on a student and it is crucial that Ursinus be prepared to help those students in need,” President Brock Blomberg says. “Through the generosity of Mr. Abele and the entire Ursinus community, we will be able to provide support to the students experiencing such hardships.”

Applications and emergency situations are considered on a case-by-case basis by the student financial assistance office and the Institute for Student Success.

While there is no maximum award amount, grants are generally $1,500 or less.