Faculty and staff are often the first to recognize when a student is in distress. In times of uncertainty, Lewis & Clark offers a wide range of crisis and emergency support to help students remain focused on their education.
“When Lewis & Clark students are in crisis, faculty and staff play a vital role in promoting help-seeking behavior and encouraging students to use campus and local community resources,” Dean of Equity and Inclusion and Acting Vice President for Student Life Danielle Torres said. “For those who are able to offer financial or in-kind support, this can be a lifeline for students who have encountered hardship.”
Several offices across campus take the lead in supporting students who experience crises throughout the school year. These offices include Student Counseling Center, Student Health Center, Campus Living, Athletics, Financial Aid, Case Management, the Office of Spiritual Life, the Office of Student Accessibility and the College Advising Center.
If you have a concern about a student, you are welcome to submit a referral to the Welfare Information Network (WIN). WIN helps students connect with and get support from various campus resources. WIN can also help with communicating to faculty around academic support.
“We aim to be a source of support for our students and in whatever form of support they need such as emotional, moral, or financial,” Office of Student Accessibility Case Manager Gaby Hermann said. “We look for their specific needs and figure out how we can holistically support them, but students might not know exactly what they need because of all the things their families are navigating. This is why the Student Emergency Fund is often the easiest way to help support them, but once that fund is gone, it’s gone. It’s a referral based system, we have a limited pot of money that we try to spread out as much as possible.”
L&C community members interested in supporting students affected by crisis may consider the following list of resources helpful:
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Overview of Student Support Resources
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The Student Emergency Fund assists Lewis & Clark students who encounter an unforeseen financial emergency that would otherwise prevent them from continuing their education at L&C. Distributed funds, typically no more than $400, may help cover expenses such as housing, technology needs, medical expenses, or personal expenses. Students can contact the Office of the Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students to learn more about eligibility and application process. Gifts to the Student Emergency Fund are accepted year-round.
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The Pios for Pios Fund was established by L&C students under the leadership of the Associated Student Body (ASB) to provide funding to students who are experiencing financial setbacks. To be eligible for funding, students must have applied for need-based financial aid, accessed all awarded sources of aid, have demonstrated need that is not being met by existing aid sources, and need additional funding to continue at L&C. Students can contact the Office of Financial Aid to learn more about eligibility and application process. Gifts to Pios for Pios are accepted year-round.
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The Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee is an ASB student-run organization that exists to support historically underrepresented student groups, advocate for equitable practices on campus, conduct equity audits on policies and organizations, respond and make proactive efforts toward preventing hate and bias-related incidents, as well as protect and promote the diversity of identities and ideologies on campus. The committee offers an emergency fund grant for students who encounter an unforeseen emergency.
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The Law School Basic Needs Fund Application was created by law alumni to address basic needs such as food insecurity.
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The ReUse Room is L&C’s sustainable thrift shop, where students shop for FREE for clothes, dorm and housing supplies, school supplies, and more. L&C community members can contact reuse@lclark.edu for questions about donations and how to get involved.
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Upcoming drives:
“So many community members have generously asked about giving—whether for natural disasters or unexpected emergencies,” Torres said. “We have a caring community that wants to support students knowing that challenging times may be ahead, and the Student Emergency Fund is one way those who are able and interested can make an impact directly to students.”
Visit Ways to Give to Lewis & Clark for a comprehensive list of ways to offer financial support.
