Penn State Scranton is gearing up for GivingTuesday on Dec. 3, and has chosen its Student Hardship Fund as the beneficiary of this year's campaign. The Student Hardship Fund assists students who face unexpected financial hardships, and need help in order to continue attending college.
DUNMORE, Pa. — Penn State will celebrate 10 years of GivingTuesday on Dec. 3 — and Penn State Scranton invites alumni and friends to participate in this anniversary milestone by making a gift to support its Student Hardship Fund.
The Student Hardship Fund was established at Penn State Scranton in 2014 through donor support to help students experiencing extraordinary and sometimes unexpected hardships and tough times that affect their ability to cover the costs of their education.
Some past examples of how the fund has helped students include:
- Provided tuition funds, as well as extra cash, for transportation to visit an out-of-state specialist for a student diagnosed with cancer.
- Helped a student who had to work full-time to cover mortgage and utilities when their single father became gravely ill with COVID-19 and spent several months in the hospital.
- Assisted in covering household expenses for a full-time adult learner whose wife was diagnosed with cancer and couldn’t work, allowing the student to stay in school without needing to work full-time.
- Replaced textbooks for a student who lost their possessions in a housefire.
Awards are made at the discretion of the chancellor, in consultation with student aid officers. Recipients are not required to repay the funds; instead, any funds distributed are meant to help minimize the student’s personal and educational debt and allow them to stay focused on their academic goals.
At Penn State Scranton, almost half of the student population are first-generation students, with about 25% coming from low-income households. Over 80% of students qualify for some type of need-based aid, meaning any type of financial setback could have a major impact on their ability to stay in school.
Donations made to the fund on GivingTuesday will be directed to students experiencing extraordinary and sometimes unexpected hardships that affect their ability to cover the costs of their education, including tuition, books, computers, transportation and living expenses.
True to Penn State GivingTuesday tradition, the celebration is kicking off early on Monday, Dec. 2, at 18:55 (6:55 p.m. EST) — a nod to the year in which the University was founded. Those interested in contributing to Penn State Scranton’s Student Hardship Fund or establishing a personal fundraising page as a campaign advocate can learn more here.
“By donating to the Student Hardship Fund on GivingTuesday, you will be a beacon of hope for students facing extraordinary and unexpected challenges,” said Chancellor Elizabeth Wright, regional chancellor of Penn State Hazleton, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. “Your generosity could be the difference between them continuing their education or having to leave college. Help us to help them by ensuring they have the support they need to overcome these hardships and achieve their dreams.”
Gifts made on GivingTuesday advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.
