‘You can see the stress melt away’
Sarah Mueller, the college’s Student Services counselor, says the Helen J. Brown Crisis Fund has been a blessing for many students.
“We have lots of students putting themselves through school and need help with rent or paying for medication or a new tire on their car or some type of unexpected expense,” Mueller said. “It’s nice to be able to help them through this crisis situation, so they can continue their education and become a nurse.”
Students who are single parents or on fixed incomes, in particular, have a difficult time making ends meet, especially if they can’t work full time because of the intensity of their nursing curriculum. A financial crisis could force a student to quit or delay their education.
Even if they don’t quit, the stress related to the financial problems compounds the stress they already may be feeling from their coursework and clinical experiences.
“Stress can have a negative effect on their mindset and overall level of functioning,” Mueller said. “If we can help reduce that financial stress, they can focus on school. We’ll get to see them graduate and they’ll get to better their lives by getting a degree and becoming a nurse.”
When a student is told about the grants available through the Helen J. Brown Crisis Fund, Mueller says they are relieved and grateful.
“You can see the stress melt away,” she said.