ECU to offer emergency funds for students

East Carolina University will continue to offer an emergency fund application process to students who face specific financial needs related to the impact of COVID-19. Virginia Hardy, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, sent out an email to ECU students on April 17 that explains the application process.

Hardy’s email said for more than 100 years there have been generous donors who give their financial support to the ECU Student Emergency Fund and the Purple Pantry which are now able to ease the burdens some students may face.

“However, for many students, we are aware that there is stress about paying rent—or other bills—as jobs have been lost and/or hours have been cut. We have heard stories of students struggling to get classwork completed due to a lack of hardware or internet access needed to be successful,” the email statement said. “We know that there are families with limited access to food and are struggling as many community resources are being closed or limited.”

For students who need to request such emergency awards, ECU’s student-led organization, the Student’s Treasure Chest, along with the ECU Office of Financial Aid and other campus partners have created an application process, according to Hardy’s email statement.

Additionally, the email said that ECU students who are specifically impacted by wage/income loss, food/housing cost, or technology can fill out the application with their relevant information and situation here.

“This process, along with new federal guidelines and funding, has made it possible for us to provide more assistance to more ECU students,” the statement said.

If students have already submitted an emergency awards application, there is no action to take now, according to the statement. However, if students have any questions, the statement said to use the covid19grants@ecu.ecu email address and include full name and Banner ID.

Ron Mitchelson, the interim chancellor at ECU, also sent an email urging students to have a strong ending to the semester which followed Hardy’s email statement.

“I encourage you to finish these last two weeks of classes strong – with endurance. I know you can do it, because you’re the toughest bunch of Pirates I know,” Mitchelson said in the email statement.

Mitchelson also said in the email that it is important to continue to reach out to those that are close to you, listing friends, loved ones and fellow pirates.