By: Caden Gray
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) — The Graduate School and International Studies (GSIE) launched a crowd-funding campaign via FundRazor to support students in need of financial assistance. The money goes toward two funds, the Needy Family Graduate Student Emergency Support Fund and the International Student Catastrophic Fund.
These funds support graduate and international students with direct donations for emergency situations. These include transportation costs, urgent medical emergencies, various technology repair or replacement costs and other unforeseen expenses.
“The fund is critical to the success of graduate students,” said Ed Pohl, Dean of GSIE. “Many of our graduate students are dependent upon their stipends to maintain their standard of living, and any extra expense – especially one that’s unexpected – is often difficult for them to handle and could cause them to drop out of school.”
In 2017, Campaign Arkansas, a campaign that aimed to enhance the University of Arkansas’s academic mission, identified key priorities that the university needed to work on. The campaign has since concluded, but it identified that funding for graduate and international students was necessary. Just last year, the International Student Catastrophic Fund won the Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education.
This year, the campaign is open to anyone who wants to donate. Dean Pohl and Dr. Tish Pohl pledged to match the first $2,500 donated to the campaign. Donated funds become immediately available to students once the donation is complete.
“It makes a difference in a student’s life to not think about finances for a semester, finish school and move on with their lives,” said Michael Freeman, Director of International Students and Scholars. “One donation right now can make an immediate impact on someone who may otherwise be struggling.”
The average amount an individual student requests from the funds is $500. However, based on current availability, the average amount that can be pulled from the funds is only $250. The campaign will run through mid-December.