Graduate Students provide the intellect, industry and inspiration for the research that happens at the University of Kansas. They are teachers and mentors for undergraduates. They serve our university in leadership roles and are members in our Kansas communities. They are also people with lives that sometimes have bumps in the road. Emergencies come with expenses. The Graduate Student Emergency Fund provides one-time $500 awards to graduate students who have unexpected expenses due to illness, death of a family member, accident, theft, fire, flooding or other causes.
The ONE DAY. ONE KU. campaign for Graduate Studies is the only source of income for this fund. Every penny raised is distributed back to KU graduate students in need. The awards are not loans, and do not need to be repaid.
Previous recipients of the award are very grateful for the support in their time of trouble. In the past year, we have received expressions of thanks:
- “I am writing this letter to formally thank the Office of Graduate Studies and the KU Endowment Association for providing me with financial support through the Graduate Student Emergency Fund. The monetary award that I received allowed me to substantially decrease the burden of my recurring medical expenses. It has been difficult academic year for me due to my health issues and I am very grateful to you all and [my department] for supporting me and other graduate students beyond academics. If there is anything that I can do to be of assistance to the Office of Graduate Studies, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I would love to pay it forward.”
“Thank you so much for the support provided through this funding! As an international student, having to deal with the news of the loss of my father while being away was hard enough. I knew that I just had to get back home to say that final good bye and be with my family, even when I didn’t know how I was going to pay for that plane ticket. I am so thankful to have received the financial support from the Graduate Student Emergency Fund to help alleviate that debt!”
Life happens. An award of this kind can help prevent emergencies in life from unraveling a promising academic career.
