Student Support Foundation ~ Board Membership

Description of the Foundation

The Plymouth State University Student Support Foundation was started in August of 2005 with a challenge grant from Carrie Morgridge, whose husband John is a PSU alumnus class of 1985. The Foundation is an organization open to all full-time undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in taking responsibility for their fellow students and learning more about poverty and the life skills of service and philanthropy.

Mission of the Foundation

• To fairly and impartially evaluate student requests for emergency financial assistance. 
• To effectively and with compassion distribute this assistance to students who demonstrate a genuine need for short term help.
• To provide direction to available external resources for long-term student support.
• Most importantly, to keep students in school.

Goals of the Foundation

To help students who apply for grants to:

• Overcome emergency funding issues, which subsequently help them continue their education.
• Become more self-reliant through advice and suggestions of reliable resources on campus and in the community.
• Learn useful tips to minimize the impact of sudden financial issues

Requirements for Board Membership

• Ability to make serious, thoughtful, mature decisions to support the financial needs of all students. 
• Ability to work as a team member with other students to come to a consensus on applications for grants.
• Ability to respond in a timely manner to all applications for grants as they come in over the course of a semester.
• Ability to perform volunteer work without recognition or acknowledgement from others on campus.
• Commitment to work on the board for at least two consecutive semesters.

IMPORTANT: Students on the Foundation board are completely anonymous, to ensure that all students at PSU feel comfortable applying for emergency financial assistance grants from this Foundation. Students on the board must sign a statement of confidentiality regarding all Student Support Foundation business.

Application

If you are interested in applying for board membership, fill out the confidential application form (PDF or MS Word). Submit the form to student.support.foundation@plymouth.edu (the preferred method) or drop it off at the Reflection and Spiritual Care Center, located at the back of Samuel Read Hall Hall, on Highland Street (across from Lamson Library).

For More Information 

If you have any questions, contact the program advisors, Preston Fuller (plfuller@plymouth.edu  or 535-2327) or Kathy Tardif (kmtardif@plymouth.edu or 535-2673).