| GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP - Stockton University has distributed over $17 million in federal funds to assist more than 6,000 students who were impacted financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. |
The university is now allocating an additional $493,000 of its own federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III allotment to eliminate the debt of 214 students who still owe funds to the university.
Stockton Chief Enrollment Management Officer Robert Heinrich said in many cases students faced unexpected hardships during the pandemic, including loss of employment for them or their families. The outstanding debt is now jeopardizing the students' academic progress and their futures.
These students have been unable to register for classes because of their outstanding debt to the university, Heinrich said. This allocation of funds will not just eliminate their debt but may help them stay on track to graduate.
Students eligible for the one-time debt forgiveness must have been enrolled in classes at Stockton University during the COVID-19 national emergency from March 2020 through the summer 2021 semesters. The affected students are being contacted individually.
The $17 million in funding for students was allocated through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Students interested in learning more about opportunities to fund their education can visit stockton.edu/financial-aid.
