Expanded financial assistance programs now available to students

The Office of the Dean of Students and Recreation & Wellness have expanded financial assistance resources for students beginning this fall.

Expanded emergency loan assistance is now available to Purdue students through the Office of the Dean of Students. Students will now be able to borrow up to $1,000 at a time with a cap of $2,000 per semester, an increase from the previous $400 one-time limit and $800 cap per semester. Assistance is available for students who are currently registered at the West Lafayette campus and do not have any financial holds on their Purdue account.

Students experiencing an unforeseen emergency, crisis or catastrophic event may meet with the Office of the Dean of Students about options for financial support. Students in need can visit the office in Schleman Hall of Student Services, Room 207. The office is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“The expansion of loan assistance programs offers us another opportunity to help our students be successful,” says Katie Sermersheim, associate vice provost and dean of students. “The increase in available funds will allow students to address emergency situations in a more complete and immediate way.”

Additionally, Junia McDole has been hired as assistant director of financial literacy education. McDole’s role is part of the broad scope of wellness programs offered by Recreation & Wellness. McDole will be available to speak with students about topics such as creating a budget, establishing credit, debt management and more.

Students and staff can contact McDole to make an appointment or visit the Wellness suite, Room 2238 in the Córdova Recreational Sports Center. McDole can be reached via email or by calling 765-496-3150.

Tammy Loew, senior assistant director of wellness programs, says: “Financial wellness is part of the comprehensive plan used to equip students with tools to ensure their well-being. Education on financial wellness will complement the wide range of wellness programming offered through RecWell, and we are excited to partner with the Office of the Dean of Students on this initiative.”

Both services are part of Steps to Leaps, a collaborative initiative designed to enhance student success and build lifelong habits in areas such as self-advocacy, resiliency, network building, financial literacy and the growth mindset. 

“We embrace both of these initiatives under the umbrella of Steps to Leaps as strategies to support students and to help them build lifelong skills,” says Beth McCuskey, vice provost for student life.