BW Uses CARES Act Funding to Expand Financial Support for Students

More than a year into the pandemic, Baldwin Wallace University is choosing to use a portion of the latest round of Federal CARES Act stimulus monies to provide additional support for students with the greatest financial need.

As the spring semester winds down, BW has elected to pay off all current, outstanding account balances for every student who receives Federal Pell Grants as part of their financial aid.

The vast majority of those students will see grants applied directly to their BW account balances as of the spring 2021 semester.

Commitment to Student Success

Eligible students received an email communication notifying them about the account credits, which are expected to approach $600,000 in total.

In the email, President Bob Helmer explained that the source of the funding is the flexible CARES Act's Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), which provides funds to be used by an institution at their discretion to address the impact of COVID-19 on their campuses.

"BW is committed to student success and has chosen to use a significant portion of these funds to assist students with the financing of their education," said President Helmer.

More Student CARES Act Payments

Additional CARES Act funding will also be distributed as one-time payments to support student success on an even broader basis.

Based on the level of financial need indicated by the student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), approximately 1,600 students have been identified to receive either a $1,200, $900 or $750 one-time payment. Students eligible to receive the one-time grant have also been notified by email.

Some students may receive both the one-time CARES grant and the Pell balance pay-off.

"We are mindful that the lasting financial effects of the pandemic may impact students' ability to attend BW," Helmer noted. "And we are committed to making a quality BW experience accessible and affordable for every qualified student who wants to pursue their dreams on our campus."