BHCC Foundation Endows Student Emergency Assistance Fund
Friday, June 14, 2013
The Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) Foundation raised more than $400,000 to endow the newly named the Mary L. Fifield Endowed Student Emergency Assistance Fund. The fund provides immediate assistance to BHCC students who experience an emergency. Fifield retires from the College June 30 after more than 16 years of service as President.
An annual fundraising event held on May 1 by the BHCC Foundation raised $208,000. The Foundation matched the sum for a total of $416,000.
The fund was re-named for BHCC President Mary L. Fifield, who established the fund in 2009 to provide grants to students facing an immediate financial crisis - such as a lost or stolen laptop, a medical emergency or a car accident. Students who document a need may receive up to $1,000 to help them get back on their feet and stay in school.
In fiscal year 2012, the fund assisted 147 students and disbursed more than $100,000. The average grant was about $700. The retention rate for BHCC students receiving assistance through the fund is 31 percent higher than the student population as a whole.
“We know that students who have received help from the fund are far more likely than other students to stay in College and finish their education,” said Foundation President Stephen Weiner. “The fund works. It really helps students. Endowing it will ensure that we can continue to make this invaluable assistance available to those who need it.”
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About Bunker Hill Community College
With more than 50 years of academic excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. The College offers associate degrees and certificates, early college and dual enrollment, community education, corporate training, and industry-specific training programs. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).