Many college students have more to worry about than simply showing up for class and getting good grades. Concerns for some extend to paying their bills on time, having enough food to eat, and caring for their children.
donated nearly $5,000 to help students.
These challenges have been magnified during the COVID-19 pandemic. One small obstacle can derail the greater goal of earning a degree.
Weighing these circumstances, the Jamestown Community College Alumni Association donated fundraising monies to students who need it most now.
The Cattaraugus County Campus Association gave close to $2,800 to students to cover holds on their bills from the fall semester, while the Jamestown Campus Association contributed $2,000 to help single-parent students with college bills and other expenses.
“It’s a group of alumni that make up the association. They’ve been where these students are,” said Heather Morris, JCC’s Director of Alumni Relations. “It’s kind of like the circle of giving back. That’s really what the Alumni Association sees their goal as. They’ve been there and they want to help students get to the other side.”
Financial holds can be devastating for students who don’t have the means to pay them. One cannot graduate from JCC with a hold on their bill, and a student cannot register for classes if the hold is more than $500.
On the Cattaraugus County Campus, 17 students with holds of $300 or less had their bills paid for by the Alumni Association.
“What the alumni associations have done really is given them a leg up,” said Maria Kindberg, the executive director of the JCC Foundation. “It’s wiped out those smaller holds.”
Tammy Skroback, the president of the Cattaraugus County Alumni Association and a student services employee at the college since 1985, said holds often stop students from continuing at JCC.
“We wanted to give back to the students,” Skroback said. “We wanted to help them out in some way that meant something to them, especially during these challenging times. So, our thought was to ease one less bill that they would have in their household when money is so hard to come by. That would allow them to come back to school if they wanted to.”
Skroback said the Cattaraugus County Alumni Association raises funds through running a booth at the Taste of Olean, craft shows, and the yearly JCC Golf Tournament held at Bartlett Country Club.
The Jamestown Alumni Association’s biggest fundraiser comes from the annual Murder Mystery event.
The group typically awards a $2,000 scholarship each year to one student, said Bill Johnston, president of Jamestown Campus Association. That student comes from the winning team of the high school academic bowl competition featuring area school districts.
“With COVID, we weren’t able to do (the competition) last year or this year,” Johnston said. “With last year’s funding, rather than having it sitting where it couldn’t be utilized, we looked around for how we could use it and where we could use it.”
Association members agreed to direct the funds to students in JCC’s SPREE program (Single Parents Reaching Education to Employment).
SPREE provides students a wide-reaching support network. Those in the program get help with student and employment services, food assistance, emergency funds, and personal support from an achievement coach.
“SPREE was the preeminent target to make it most effective for the most people,” Johnston said.
The money may be used to cover financial holds, childcare and transportation costs, and other needs students may have.
The chief purpose of the JCC Alumni Association, Morris said, is to lend a helping hand to students.
“We share similar missions to the college,” she said, “We’re there to support the students. Each association has their own scholarships that they award each year. On top of that, as needs arise, we’re able to use our money to support the students in the best ways that we can. We provide money for textbooks and things like that. Also, sometimes organizations or departments come to us when they need funding throughout the year. We’ve supported commencement and other things of that nature. Our focus is on student needs and opportunities.