DASH grants to help Ohio students with unplanned bills

Program to assist eligible undergrads with emergencies.

Ohio State students stuck in a financial bind will now have an easier time staying in school thanks to a new grant program.

The Dash Emergency Grant Program, funded primarily by Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates, will provide assistance to low-income students facing emergency unplanned expenses. Great Lakes provided Ohio State with $210,000 to help start the program, which is set to begin this fall and carried out over the next two years .

“This is just another key way that we can make sure that our doors are open and stay open for all students,” said Dave Isaacs, spokesman for the OSU Office of Student Life.

The Wisconsin-based nonprofit began the program in 2012 for two-year colleges with the goal of helping low-income students stay enrolled with the goal of helping low-income students stay enrolled.

“We felt that too many students from low-income backgrounds were leaving college because of unseen financial circumstances,” said Amy Kerwin, vice president of community investments at Great Lakes.

A car repair or hospital bill, for example, have the potential to complicate a low-income student’s finances, forcing the student to put school on the back burner. Isaacs said the Dash Grant program is designed to eliminate that concern.

“A student shouldn’t have to choose between an emergency financial need and staying in school,” Isaacs said.

Ohio State is one of 32 fouryear colleges in six states that received this funding. Ten other Ohio colleges received Dash Grant funding: University of Akron, Cleveland State University, Heidelberg University, Lourdes University, Mercy College of Ohio, Notre Dame College of Ohio, Ohio Wesleyan University, University of Toledo, Union Institute & University and Xavier University.

Low-income students at Ohio State can apply for the grant through the Office of Student Life for one-time assistance up to $1,000. The money is made payable directly to whomever the student owes money to rather than to the student.