Lake Michigan College is developing a new system to help students who find themselves facing financial emergencies that could cause them to stop coming to classes or drop out.
LMC Director of Student Well Being Leslie Navarro tells us a nearly $100,000 grant from the MiLEAP Breaking Barriers Direct to Students program is being combined with existing emergency aid programs into a one-stop shop for students. Whether it’s struggles with paying for car repairs, medical bills, housing, childcare, or academic supplies, she says she hears all the time from students in a tight spot.
“On a weekly basis, we serve mutliple students who are reporting those types of concerns,” Navarro said.
Navarro notes housing, in particular, is a problem, with students unable to pay a security deposit or rent. This new grant will be used to create one system for emergency aid so there’s no longer a patchwork of programs for students.
“We found that that was inconsistent for students trying to navigate that system. They would think they kind of knew the process and then realized, ‘Oh, this process is actually for the Student Success Fund, not for the Veteran’s Fund. Or this process is for the Student Success Fund, not Perkins. So we wanted to create something that was streamlined, that was effective, and that was equitable for our students.”
An online portal for students to apply for aid is being created now, and Navarro says LMC will collect data to continuously improve the system. The college hopes to launch the portal in September.
Navarro notes this entire initiative came about as a result of student input. She says although other institutions offer emergency aid, LMC’s model is now one of the most comprehensive in the state.
