Many law students are seeking help with food, rent, and other necessities since the pandemic started.
Rutgers Law students will receive help getting groceries, medication, paying rent, and covering emergency travel costs through the Student Emergency Program, administered by Rutgers Law School.
The Program provides emergency relief grants to students at both locations who have experienced extreme hardship related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Students may apply for emergency grants up to $1,500 through a confidential application process that is reviewed by a committee comprised of the deans of students and financial aid officers.
So far, 57 different students will be awarded grants.. As of early May, the student emergency fund has received $57,215 from 51 donors, including alumni, faculty, staff, and from a $25,000 grant that AccessLex Institute provided to every nonprofit and state-affiliated ABA-approved law school in the nation. However, there are many more requests that the law school has yet to review and process. Sarah Regina, Dean of Students in Newark, estimated that the committee received over $74,000 in requests.
Dean of Students Louis Thompson said in their applications, some students added that if others had greater needs than themselves, that the money should go to their classmates instead.
“Some students had family breadwinners who were laid off and now need short term help with all expenses,” Thompson said.
And although faculty, alumni, and others have been generous donating to the fund, the law school deans noted that additional requests come in every day. Students have been displaced from housing, laid off from jobs, and may be the sole provider for their families, or caring for others, including children and the elderly.
“We are happy we are able to assist students with Emergency Relief funds,” said Financial Aid Director Cassandra Hunter. “Funding will help our students with various unforeseen expenses incurred due to the unprecedented disruption in their education and livelihood due to the COVID-19 crisis.”
The school is continuing to accept donations to the program. Donate here to help with our students’ emergency needs.