Queens College students will now have access to emergency funds, through the Carroll and Milton Petrie Student Emergency Grant Fund.
The fund was created to provide quick response emergency grants for students in good academic standing, who face current short term financial emergencies, and holds the goal to help students remain in school without interruption, to successfully complete their degree.
The grant originates from Carroll and Milton Petrie, two New York City socialites and philanthropists, who gave hundreds of millions of dollars to museums, hospitals, and charities.
Milton Petrie is the founder of “The Carroll and Milton Petire Foundation,” a foundation designed to promote quality education for over 1.5 million students in New York City public schools, with two channels, advancing the likelihood that students at the City University of New York can remain enrolled in school to finish their degree, and to build the expertise of teachers and principals to help them become effective in middle and high schools in the New York City Department of Education, so vulnerable and disadvantaged students can succeed at graduating ready for college.
Vice President for Student Affairs, Adam Rockman commented on the news of the grant’s availability at QC, stating, “Nine years ago we requested funding from The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation in order to start a grant program to help Queens College students facing all sorts of emergencies remain enrolled in school and persist to graduation. We requested this funding because we regularly heard from students dealing with various emergency situations where a small financial grant could mean the difference between dropping out and remaining in school.”
Rockman explained the success of the grant at QC is the reason why they stand behind it. “It is important because our experience shows that several hundred Queens College students remained enrolled after receiving the grant, and nearly half of those persisted to graduation. The grant has helped students facing homelessness, domestic violence, medical procedures, hunger, stolen books and computers, and lack of transportation to campus, among others.”
The grant covers a range of emergency situations, including, but not limited to, overdue utilities bills and shut-off notices, rent in arrears, at risk for eviction, and medical and dental bills for uninsured necessary procedures.
The grant will not cover previous college tuition debt/expenses, current full or partial tuition and fees, personal debts, legal representation/attorney fees in a criminal proceeding, nor legal representation/attorney fees for CUNY disciplinary proceedings. The grant is not a cover for financial aid, and students seeking it’s funds are required to utilize all available financial aid resources before being awarded the Petrie Grant.
Sasha M. a sophomore majoring in environmental science commented on the grant, “I think it is a great resource for students to use, however I do worry about the academic standing for certain members of QC. Though I understand why the grant is given to students who have good grades, there is the issue that students who aren’t in good academic standing are left out—nevertheless the general idea of the grant and investing in students is an opportunity we are grateful to have on campus.”
