Students have many financial aid opportunities through different departments at Weber State University, but the lack of an available index or list of these scholarships results in students often being unaware of the funds.

While some of these funds are scholarships, some can be used to help eligible students navigate difficult or sudden financial situations.

The Barbara L. & Norman C. Tanner Student Support Fund are both available through WSU’s Center for Community Engaged Learning. One is for nontraditional students, and the other is for underrepresented students.

“She was very generous in saying, ‘I don’t want to put too many restrictions on this funding,'” Teresa Martinez, a student engagement coordinator for the CCEL, said. “Her idea was, ‘I just want this money to go to students who really want to engage in the community but otherwise cannot due to other obligations or circumstances.'”

Both opportunities are open to incoming and current full- or part-time students seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree. Students are required to be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, find a way to become in the community and meet either nontraditional or underrepresented student requirements.

Funding has been used in the past for one-time projects, alternative breaks or tuition.

“Often, it’s, ‘I’m working a job to pay for tuition and cannot get involved,'” Martinez said. “Let’s help pay for tuition so you don’t have work as much, so you can do that stuff.”

A requirement of award recipients is to include at least two meetings with the CCEL Program Leader during the semester the funding is received. Students with any questions about the Tanner fund should contact the CCEL office. The next deadline for interest forms is Aug. 1 at 11:59 p.m.

The Emeriti Alumni Student Emergency Fund is open to all current WSU full- or part-time undergraduate or graduate students who have or are experiencing an emergency.

“The Emeriti Alumni Council wanted to create the EASE fund to help students who have experienced an emergency and offer them an opportunity to get through that emergency,” Cecilia Dockery, director of student conduct for the Dean of Students Office, said. “The goal of it is to help a student through an acute need so they can remain enrolled.”

Applications are available in the Dean of Student’s Office, the Money Management Center or the Office of Access & Diversity. Students then submit it to the dean’s office in person or by email.

A representative of the dean of student’s office will then contact and meet with the student to discuss their application and situation. The representative then meets with an official from EAC to make a decision.

“It’s hard to define ‘What is an emergency?’ because it can vary so much,” Dockery said. “We meet with students and decide on a case-by-case basis to see if their situation and needs match up with the fund.”

Past distributions of the funds have included paying for travel expenses so a student could attend a parent’s funeral and helping a student purchase glasses.

The Office of Access & Diversity also offers the Raising Rio Emergency Student Support Gift Fund. This fund is open to students engaged with Access & Diversity who are single parents with dependent children who experience an emergency.

Eligible students can receive up to $500 in one academic year for an emergency. Emergencies can vary from needing a new car battery to emergency dental procedures.

“Not having your rent on time might seem like an emergency to you, and it is, but it’s something that you expect,” Ken Johnson, multicultural retention counselor for the Center for Multicultural Excellence, said. “Things that you can expect, like your rent being due each month or tuition, aren’t considered emergencies.”

The CME also offers the Warfield-Graham Emergency Student Support Fund. This fund is open to all currently enrolled Black WSU students who have experienced an emergency.

Byron Warfield-Graham and his wife, Audrey, established the fund in 2019 to help eligible students with financial crises beyond their control that may impede their academic success.

Eligible students can receive up to $500 for emergencies, such as replacing textbooks in a stolen backpack or helping a student start chemotherapy.

“The application processes for both the Raising Rio and Warfield-Graham funds are the same,” Johnson said.

Eligible students can apply on the Access & Diversity page of the WSU website, after submitting the appropriate application.

Another fund offered by the Center is the Tony Ulibarri Fund. This fund provides scholarships to multicultural students who need financial assistance and may not be eligible for other types of scholarships or funding. It is open to both U.S. citizens and undocumented students.

The Dr. George Gregory MD Pre-Med Student Assistance Fund from the College of Science is available to U.S. residents with at least 60 credit hours who are actively involved in the pre-medical program. Students in financial need who are academically qualified to apply to medical school can use this award on application fees and travel expenses for interviews to medical school.

The Goddard School of Business and Economics offers the Wildcat MicroFund, which helps entrepreneurs with start-ups in Davis, Weber, Morgan and Box Elder counties who show a need for services during the early stages of developing a concept or launching a venture.