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Eligible Wright State Students to Receive up to $1,100 in Federal Coronavirus Relief

HEERF

HEERF | Graphic by Dylan Collison | The Wright State Guardian

On Friday, March 5, Wright State University (WSU) announced that it would distribute $5.2 million in federal aid to over 6,750 students enrolled during the spring semester.

HEERF

“We believe these funds will provide some financial relief to a broad range of spring 2021 students who experienced hardship as a result of COVID-19,” Director of Financial Aid Kim Everhart said in a press release by WSU on Friday. 

The grants come as a second wave of a two-portion aid package afforded by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), which provides aid for both students and WSU as an institution.

The first round of HEERF dollars was distributed amongst WSU students during the Spring 2020 semester. The university disbursed $5,070,423 to over 5,700 students for assistance with tuition, food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care.

Spring 2020 HEERF dollars given to WSU for institutional purposes sought to upgrade technology in 119 classrooms on WSU’s Dayton Campus and ten additional rooms on the Lake Campus. These federal dollars prepared the university for remote delivery teaching methods.  

The expenditure of $12.3 million in institutional portion funds for the second wave of HEERF dollars has yet to be announced, as WSU awaits further guidance from the U.S. Department of Education on the proper usage of these funds. The university sought similar guidance during the first round of HEERF grants.  

When will students receive funds? 

The university will distribute funds starting the week of March 8, and seeks to finish the distribution process by March 19. 

All HEERF grants will be automatically disbursed to eligible students, with emails already sent to those students impacted by the relief initiative. 

Who is eligible? 

According to the press release by WSU on Friday, a total of 6,753 students will receive aid, with 43% of eligible students receiving the maximum grant of $1,100. 

“All students who are degree-seeking, enrolled at least half-time during spring 2021, are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens will receive funds,” WSU said in the press release. 

Non-degree students and international students – including undocumented and DACA students – are not eligible to receive funds.


Nicolas BenVenuto

News Editor

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