PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (May 15, 2020) – Prairie View A&M University students are finally starting to see a bright light in a dampened COVID-19 pandemic tunnel. The preliminary numbers are in, and more than 1,700 students have received over $1.5 million in emergency grants, thanks to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The university is still reviewing applications, so the number of students awarded will be much higher in the coming days. To date, the university has received more than 7,500 applications, which is nearly all of its spring 2020 population of 8,235 students.
“The need is great. Unfortunately, many students were faced with unanticipated costs associated with this COVID-19 pandemic this past semester,” said James M. Palmer, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs. “Our hope is that they can find some support from CARES Act funds to continue in their studies and recuperate some of what’s been lost.”
PVAMU received $6.9 million through the CARES Act after President Donald Trump signed it into law in late March. The U.S. Department of Education mandated at least 50-percent be distributed directly to students whose lives have been disrupted to cover expenses such as food, housing, utilities, course materials, technology, healthcare, child care, moving, and transportation expenses.
The application portal opened up in early May for PVAMU students. Those who are eligible are receiving up to $1,000 in emergency aid.
“PVAMU will continue to pursue additional opportunities for support,” Timothy Sams, Ph.D., vice president for Student Affairs, and Sarina Willis, Ph.D., vice president for Enrollment Management, said in a joint memorandum.
Application reviews began at the start of the month and will continue until all funds are exhausted.
Visit the university’s CARES Act Student Relief Fund website for more information on eligibility, the application process, and frequently asked questions.
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