ATLANTA—Morehouse College students displaced from housing and steady meals by the decision to transition to online classes during the global pandemic are receiving support from a more than $260,000 gift generously donated by alumni and supporters.
The “Funds for Morehouse” campaign is helping students in need of financial support to continue their education without interruption. Donations are being used to cover the costs associated with housing, food, travel, and technology.
“Our generous alumni and supporters have donated more than $260,000 to help the men of Morehouse make a successful transition to online instruction. The funds are needed because many of our students are financial aid-eligible and reported that they were facing hardships covering the costs of moving and traveling home,” said Monique Dozier, Vice President of the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) at Morehouse College. “More than 700 people made donations. The contributions are still coming in proving that even during a global crisis, the benevolent brotherhood at Morehouse College remains strong.”
The campaign also includes in-kind gifts and services, as well as other money supplied through the Student Emergency Assistance Fund, Dozier added.
According to the Morehouse College Division of Student Services, to date n early $80,000 has been spent on providing steady housing and meals for students. Another $2,000 was made available to pay for travel expenses for those who could return home but needed help with tickets and other items. Other funds are still being allocated.
Morehouse has secured temporary housing off campus for about 20 students in need of emergency accommodations and wireless service. The students are staying at an Atlanta hotel. They have been assigned four residence advisors to help them build a sense of community in their new surroundings.
“Some of our students didn’t have a place to go,” said senior Daquan Spratley, a residence advisor who is watching over students at an Atlanta hotel. “For me personally, I was in a panic after Spring Break with having to move back home and then return for graduation. The facility that they have provided for us is nice. We have meals and WiFi.
“We take our classes online, but also talk and play board games to build community. Having this opportunity has changed our living situation, and it shows how much the administration cares about us. For that, I am really grateful.”
In addition to support for housing and food, some Morehouse students will also receive relief in the form of a housing and meal plan refund based on the move to online instruction. Refunds will be pro-rated and calculated per student beginning March 18, 2020, through the last day of the academic year in May.
The refund will offset balances currently owed to the college based on individual tuition payment plans, meal plans, and other criteria. Students who received institutional aid to cover the direct cost of attending Morehouse this academic year will not be eligible for a refund. Their Spring Semester aid package will be adjusted instead ( Institutional Aid Policy (EA 100.1). Credits will also be issued to freshmen, sophomores, and juniors who do not owe the College funds via payment plans and did not receive institutional aid to cover the direct costs of attending Morehouse. The credits will be placed on accounts as part of the student’s financial aid package for the 2020-21 school year .
