American University Washington College of Law
March 2013
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The Student Emergency Fund - Providing Help to Students in Financial Crisis
I want to thank the Wolpoff Family Foundation for their continued generosity and interest in providing critical and much needed financial support for the Student Emergency Fund. Providing support to our students is important even in normal economic circumstances, but it is especially vital in these difficult economic times. My WCL colleagues and I are very grateful for your personal commitment to our superb students and this remarkable school. The following are some of the awards that have been distributed since my previous correspondence: A remarkable second year student who was without any financial resources. The student has been actively searching for a full or part-time position, but has not been able to secure employment. He has been eating one meal a day and does not have any support from family or friends. The uncertainty of not knowing where his next meal is coming from was distracting him from excelling in his law studies. An very promising international student who does not qualify for financial aid and was experiencing significant difficulty in paying tuition for the next academic year because his father lost his job and his family is struggling to cover costs. He does not have family in the United States and is currently searching for employment to alleviate his financial burden. An exceptional student who is expecting his first child. Over the semester break the student's landlord asked that he and his wife terminate their lease and find new housing but they cannot afford an increase in rent payments. His wife is working full time but has been at her job for less than a year and will not qualify for FMLA assistance. The student had exhausted all other resources and was unable to focus on his law studies because of the overwhelming pressure of finding housing that they could afford. We take a very conservative approach in allocating these funds to ensure that the most deserving students receive the benefit of the Foundation's generosity. The Committee takes a sincere interest in each student request and whenever a student's request does not fall within the parameters of the Wolpoff Family Foundation's intention, or when their financial shortfalls can be met through other means, the members provide additional guidance. With deepest appreciation, Claudio Grossman Dean of Washington College of Law Raymond Geraldson Scholar of International and Humanitarian Law |