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Laurier establishes COVID-19 Emergency Fund for students

Laurier establishes COVID-19 Emergency Fund for students

April 6, 2020

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At Wilfrid Laurier University, we continue to do all we can to support our students as they finish their winter terms remotely.

On March 31, the university announced the establishment of the Laurier COVID-19 Emergency Fund in an email message to Laurier alumni, donors and friends from Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor, Deborah MacLatchy. The fund will provide direct and immediate assistance in three key areas of support, including:

  • Emergency financial relief for students who have lost on-campus accommodation and means of employment;

  • Health and wellness support for students whose mental and physical health is at increased risk due to social distancing;

  • Investments in teaching and learning technologies to ensure continued student academic success as learning moves to a fully online environment.

“At Laurier, we continue to do all we can to support our students as they finish their winter terms online, such as keeping our academic advising, wellness and career counselling centres open virtually,” says MacLatchy. “As students struggle with an unprecedented end to the academic term, mental health challenges, inequities in technology access to study from home, and their families’ financial worries, they remain our top priority.”

Those who are in a position to donate to the Laurier COVID-19 Emergency Fund can do so through the fund’s HawkStarter page. Faculty and staff can also choose to support the emergency fund through payroll contributions.

Members of the Laurier community are also invited to share messages of exam-time encouragement with students on social media using the hashtag #HappyHawks. Messages will be shared on Laurier Alumni and Laurier institutional social media accounts.

“If ever there was a time when we need to lead lives of inspired leadership and purpose, this is it,” says MacLatchy. “I want to offer my sincere gratitude to all of you who are out there helping in your own way and supporting our communities with leadership and purpose. Thank you.”

Should the emergency fund receive more than is needed during the crisis, funds will be redirected to Laurier’s highest priority needs following the crisis. For more information, visit Laurier's COVID-19 information page at wlu.ca/coronavirus.

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