Westminster College received $1,661,612 from the US Department of Education pursuant to our Certification and Agreement for ARPA Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students. Westminster also received $1,661,610 from the US Department of Education pursuant to our Certification and Agreement for ARPA Institutional Aid.
Westminster College acknowledges that we signed and returned to the US Department of Education the Certification and Agreement and assure that we intend to use $1,661,612 of the funds from ARPA to provide Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students.
The estimated total number of students at the institution that are eligible to receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under Section 314(a)(1) of ARPA: 1,218
During the quarter ended September 30, 2021, Westminster College did not distribute any Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Students under Section 314(a)(1) of ARPA.
During the quarter ended December 31, 2021, Westminster College distributed $849,717 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 314(a)(1) of ARPA to 545 students.
During the quarter ended March 31, 2022, Westminster College distributed $811,895 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 314(a)(1) of ARPA to 516 students. - FINAL
In total, Westminster College distributed $1,661,612 in Emergency Financial Aid Grants under Section 314(a)(1) of ARPA to 568 students (unduplicated count).
The method used by Westminster College to determine which students would receive Emergency Financial Aid Grants and how much they would receive was based on the student having exceptional financial need.
Dear Titans:
Westminster College received a grant through the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”) to provide funds to students to cover some of the expenses they have faced in response to campus disruptions because of the coronavirus, COVID-19. These ARPA student grants may be used for any component of the student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care. The ARPA specifies that the College must prioritize these grants to students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants.
We write to let you know that we are sending you a grant in the amount of $x,xxx to help you with your COVID-19 expenses. We will deposit these funds directly to your bank account if we have your bank information in your student record. Please note that this banking information is different than your electronic refund information that you provide for electronic refund on Cashnet. Cashnet stores the information only in Cashnet. We will pull the same information you have for direct deposit if it is for student payroll. If we do not have your direct deposit information for student payroll, please fill out the attached Direct Deposit form and drop the completed form off to the Business Office on the 2nd floor of Old Main. You may also email the completed form from your Westminster email address to Sharon Kelly, Accounts Payable Coordinator at kellysl@westminster.edu. If we do not have your Direct Deposit information by Wednesday, October 6, 2021, then we will mail a check to the address that is listed in your student record. Funds will be deposited or mailed by the end of October if not sooner.
You do not have to do anything special to access this grant, and you do not need to submit any receipts to verify your expenses. This money is for you to use to cover expenses that you have faced during this disruption.
We hope that these ARPA funds will provide you with some relief as you complete your semester. If you have questions about the ARPA or this grant, please email: CARESActFunding@westminster.edu
Sincerely,
The Westminster College CARES Act Task Force