Urgent Aid puts student in driver’s seat

When Lee Cowan faced the burden of unexpected car repairs earlier this school year, she felt overwhelmed.

“Last fall my brakes gave out in my car. I took it to a mechanic for what I thought was a simple brake line. But when I called to see if it was finished I was told it was more serious — all the lines, including a fuel line, needed to be fixed,” she says. “The bill was $450!”

For Lee, who lives on a fixed income with no family nearby, the problem seemed insurmountable. The Adult Learning Program student needed her car to get to and from NSCC’S Pictou Campus, but also to multiple medical appointments to deal with health issues.

Fortunately, she found support through NSCC’S Urgent Aid Fund, which helps students who are in dire financial circumstances and in danger of leaving their program at the college. It is one of the financial aid options made possible by the generosity of donors to Make Way

— The Campaign for NSCC.

“I would not have been able to fix my car without Urgent Aid, and without my car I would not have been able to continue in school,” says Lee, who is active on campus as a Student Association representative and peer tutor.

Lee, an Honours student, was recently named Valedictorian for the campus and is on track to begin studies in the Electronic Engineering Technician program in the fall.