Notre Dame College receives grant to help low-income students

Notre Dame College in South Euclid is equipped to help more low-income students overcome financial barriers to graduation.

The college recently received $113,400 to help students who are experiencing financial emergencies. The grant will cover a two-year period and is part of $7.2 million awarded by Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation and Affiliates to 32 colleges and universities in six states.

Notre Dame and the other colleges will integrate emergency grant programs into their overall student success strategy with the goal of increasing retention and completion rates. It is called Dash Emergency Grants and is similar in purpose and will complement the Caring Hearts Fund that was initiated at Notre Dame last fall.

Recently, Deborah L. Sheren, dean of academic programs at Notre Dame College, donated $25,000 to the Caring Hearts Fund.

“Many drop out because of an inability to navigate around what might seem to us a mere inconvenient event, such as not being able to afford a minor car repair, rendering the student unable to get to the job on which they are relying for financial support,” Sheren said. “Students end up withdrawing, intending to return, but very few actually do.”

Sheren also said she has learned through her 17 years at the college that Notre Dame students often fail to persist and complete their degrees because they do not have access to adequate resources or ample family support to sustain financially.

“For these students, completing their degree is lifechanging — not only for them personally, but for their families as well,” she said.

The dash Emergency Grant will likely be less than $1,000 and may be used for transportation, housing, medical, child care and other costs, and will help students stay on track to graduation.

“In fulfilling the mission of our college, we serve many less-privileged, low-income and first-generation students,” said Notre Dame College President Thomas G. Kruczek. “These are groups of deserving students who often are just an unexpected expense away from dropping out. Because of this grant and others like our Caring Hearts Fund, we are now able to help more of these students avoid the potential tragedy of not completing what they started and have worked so hard for and enabling them to be able to go forward with successful careers and lives.”