FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Brian Will, assistant director, Office of Financial Aid, (319) 273-2700
Gwenne Culpepper, Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The Iowa College Student Aid Commission recently allocated $1 million to provide grant funds for Iowa college students whose families have been adversely affected by farm or natural disasters such as flooding or droughts. Of this amount, the University of Northern Iowa received about $64,000. As specified by the grant, the university will match that amount, making available nearly $128,000.
Brian Will, assistant director in the university's Office of Financial Aid, says the grant amounts to students will average $2,000. “We're excited to have additional grant funding that may be used to address the needs of families experiencing hard times as a result of these situations. Students are important to us at UNI. This program may not only make college more accessible to students but will also lessen their indebtedness.”
The bill was supported by U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, who noted, “This will help make going to college a reality for children of families who might have lost hope due to the devastation caused by the farm crisis and by recent natural disasters. The cost of a college education is one of the most pressing concerns facing American families. For many Iowa farm families, the farm crisis has made the dream of college impossible.”
Will said the university has already begun awarding the funds. Those eligible for the one-year grant are undergraduates carrying at least six credit hours. Applicants need to submit a letter and appropriate documentation indicating their hardship. For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid, (319) 273-2700 or 1-800-772-2736.
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