Sheridan Lee
Staff Writer
To help students who are facing financial challenges amid the COVID-19 crisis, the University has created a student emergency fund, with donations by the broader University of La Verne community, with a matching fund from an anonymous donor.
The fund – created on March 25, with $110,000 from 133 donors to date – is for students who need it for food, emergency housing, counseling and psychological services, medical expenses and travel home, among other needs that may have surfaced with the abrupt closure of campus.
“We were hearing from a lot of students that they were having troubles as a result of losing jobs, going online and home,” said Sherri Mylott, vice president of university advancement.
The money is available by application at univ.lv/sef.
“As much as we can while we can, we want to take in applications, review them and evaluate them and award students,” said Juan Regalado, dean of students.
To qualify for the fund is for students who are at risk and have exhausted all other resources. There is no deadline for applications, which are accepted on a first come first served basis.
Contributors to the fund so far have come from alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the University.
“We are proud of all the donors who have expressed their support of and generosity for our students,” said Devorah Lieberman, president of University of La Verne. “We are so very fortunate.”
“I think that this whole idea is amazing, and the fact that people are actually contributing to the cause is even more amazing,” said freshman English major Raven Hall. “Students are going through really rough times at the moment, and I personally am extremely grateful that people are willing to help through these hardships.”
Sheridan Lee can be reached at sheridan.grenda@laverne.edu.
Sheridan Lambrook
Sheridan Lambrook, a senior journalism major with a concentration in visual journalism, is a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine.