It's been almost a year since the start of the pandemic caused our campus community to rethink the way we teach and learn. As we begin a new semester still in the midst of a pandemic, we remain focused on the success and well-being of all UNC Charlotte students. 

Your support provided the tools and resources needed to ensure our students thrived in a safe and inclusive learning environment; you’d be impressed at how adaptive our students have been.

I'm pleased to provide you with an impact report for the Student Emergency Fund. Thank you for stepping up to support our students in a time when they need it the most. 

If you are having issues viewing the images below, please click here to view the full report.

Since our founding on September 23, 1946, UNC Charlotte has transformed from a night school serving World War II veterans into a vibrant research university, making it one of the great success stories of American higher education. With characteristic grace and determination, our founder, Bonnie E. Cone worked tirelessly for the University, motivating students, winning friends, and attracting benefactors.

Today, UNC Charlotte is the state’s premier urban research university with student enrollment topping 30,000, an all-time record.

As we continue to honor Miss Bonnie's legacy, we wanted to personally thank you for supporting Niner Nation this year and encourage you to celebrate Founders Day by remembering what you love most about UNC Charlotte. Find a way to connect with the University, its 30,000 students and spirited campus community- from wherever you are. 

2020 has been a difficult year for many 49ers but as we honor Miss Bonnie today, we are reminded that Niners are resilient. Hear Miss Bonnie tell the inspirational story of our University's beginning in this Founders Day video.

We raised over $22,000 for emergency relief since mid June!  Here’s how.

Thanks to the generous support of Niners like you, the $5,000 Student Emergency Fund matching challenge issued by The Graduate School’s Dean Reynolds was not just met but far exceeded! Together with the dean’s match, donors gave over $19,000 through June 30 in support of UNC Charlotte students in need. 

We are also proud to announce the results from the Niners Go the (Social) Distance Virtual 4.9K Race organized by the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association. From California to Connecticut, 300 Niners stepped up to walk, hike, bike, and even skate their way through their virtual 4.9k race.  

These dedicated Niners raised $3,901 for the Student Emergency Fund. Below is a collage of some 49ers who took on the challenge.

Thanks to this surge in donations, more students will now receive emergency relief support to keep them on track towards completing their degree. Your support, no matter the amount, makes a big difference to our 49ers! 

As our fiscal year comes to a close and plans for a return to campus this fall have been announced, the financial strains placed on our students by challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues. 

As of May 28, 2020, UNC Charlotte has distributed $7,843,958 as CARES Act Emergency Grants to 7,062 students. Unfortunately, federal requirements associated with the CARES Act do not allow the distribution of these funds to international students, undocumented students, students who are only enrolled in Distance Education programs, or new students who were not enrolled in spring 2020. 

In response to this need, The Graduate School’s Dean Reynolds has issued a matching challenge to ensure help for all current and future students, including international, by providing financial support when they need assistance with unexpected, unforeseen, and unavoidable emergency expenses. 

Dean Reynolds will match all gifts made to the UNC Charlotte Student Emergency Fund up to a maximum of $5,000 through June 30. 

Please join Dean Reynolds in spreading the word or making a donation. We will get through this difficult time and show our undergraduates, graduate students, domestic or international students the support of Niner Nation.

With our need being greater than ever, gifts of all sizes are appreciated and will add up to have an exponential impact on the lives of our students.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides approximately $12 million in funding to UNC Charlotte for distribution to qualifying students to help cover expenses related to the disruption of spring 2020 campus operations due to COVID-19. As of May 28, 2020, UNC Charlotte has distributed $7,843,958 as CARES Act Emergency Grants to 7,062 students. More information on the CARES Act funding at UNC Charlotte can be found here.

Unfortunately, federal requirements associated with the CARES Act do not allow the distribution of these funds to international students, undocumented students, or students who are only enrolled in Distance Education programs. We currently have requests from 105 international students totaling $64,400.

Many of our students, and specifically our international students, continue to face overwhelming challenges, such as affording housing, transportation, food, medical expenses, and access to other necessary resources. Each year, UNC Charlotte welcomes nearly 2,000 new and continuing international students from 85 countries around the world. Their active participation in the classroom and across the campus helps to foster a culturally diverse living and learning environment in the larger University community. Below is a story of a student whose life suddenly changed after finding relief with University’s emergency fund. 

Abdlrahman Ramadan has no family living nearby and relies entirely on himself as he juggles his studies and work.

 

He works part-time for a local retailer, and the money helped pay rent for his apartment. But then the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to close, and Ramadan was scared because he had no family support here.

 

“The last month has been rough because everything suddenly changed and I didn’t know what to do,” said Ramadan, a junior majoring in biology. “I was relying entirely on my job, even though it was only part-time.”

 

Then he got an email about UNC Charlotte’s Student Emergency Fund, established to financially support students with emergency expenses, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“I just applied immediately,” Ramadan said. “I was so glad that I saw this coming.”

 

Ramadan said the money that the emergency fund gave him paid for his rent and other monthly expenses.

Student Emergency Fund Update

• Current total dollars requested by UNC Charlotte students: $1,064,900
• Current number of student applications: 2,282  
• Current total dollars awarded to UNC Charlotte students: $399,800
• Current number of students receiving aid: 1,134

Your support continues to make life changing impacts on the students of UNC Charlotte as we all continue to navigate the uncertainties of the Covid 19 pandemic. Thank you, Niner Nation.

May 5th is #GivingTuesdayNow, an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity and use their individual power of generosity to help their community.  

I wanted to let you know how grateful we are for your support and share some of the ways your contributions are empowering our students as they navigate the unprecedented circumstances caused by COVID-19 through the graphic below. 

Because of you, our students know that “We are all Niners” is more than a phrase – it is a promise that our community will rally around them in good times and in bad. Thank you for supporting UNC Charlotte’s efforts to provide emergency relief on our campus. 

Today, and every day, we are proud to call you a Niner!

Your support of the student emergency relief fund and the Jamil Niner Student Pantry continues to make a difference in the lives of our students. Together, we have provided students with the support they need to stay on track to graduate – and to one day make a difference in the world themselves.

To date, we have received 1,585 applications for funding from the student emergency relief fund representing $740,800 in need and have distributed more than $315,000 to 898 students. The Jamil Niner Student Pantry has seen a 35% increase in demand in the past two weeks, with many of their requests for support coming from first-time users.  

As COVID-19 continues to impact our daily lives, many of our students face new and overwhelming challenges related to this pandemic, such as affording housing, transportation, food, medical expenses, and access to necessary resources needed for remote learning. ​Thank you again for your unwavering support of Niner Nation, especially in these challenging times. 

As we continue to face uncertain times, our 49er family has shown their unwavering support. Thank you, once again, for your generosity.

Niner Nation, you have heeded the call and donated $314,402 in student emergency relief funds. The University has received 1,288 applications representing $603,500 in need. And in just two weeks, 707 applications have been funded, totaling $278,500, which results in immediate support for students facing extraordinary hardships due to the pandemic. We continue to see an increase in applications and need as the pandemic continues to unfold and present new challenges. 

Students receiving emergency relief support wanted to send you their sincere thanks. Here are just a few examples of the gratitude that our Niners have for donors like you. 

This is an unprecedented and challenging time for all of us, especially for our 49er students. 

Chancellor Dubois announced last week that UNC Charlotte had created two important funds, the Student Emergency Relief Fund and the Jamil Niner Student Pantry Fund to help provide needed relief to students.

Niner Nation’s response to the Chancellor’s request was remarkable with nearly $250,000 committed to date. Within the first week that funds were available, however, UNC Charlotte awarded more than $236,100 to 578 students through the Student Emergency Relief Fund, nearly depleting the available funds. On top of that, 429 students are on a waiting list for grants that will be made as funds are available. We expect that our students’ needs will become more acute as the economic impact of the pandemic deepens.

The COVID-19 pandemic will cause some dislocation in all of our lives. But for our students, the pandemic threatens their dreams and the brighter future that a degree from UNC Charlotte promises.

Working together we are showing our students that we truly are all Niners. Thank you, once again, for quickly answering the call to help our Niner family.

We've seen unbelievable commitment by many generous alumni and friends in support of our students in the last 48 hours.

During that time, our students have had the opportunity to express their great need. To date, we have received 319 applications from students requesting assistance. We know that the spirit of Niner Nation is one of unity and fortitude and we will get through this together. Thank you for making generous contributions and continuing to help spread the word to support our fellow Niners. 

If you'd like to share a word of encouragement with our students during these uncertain times, feel free to do so by replying to this email. In tough times like these, your words can lift their spirits. 

Throughout the year, we do all that we can to provide opportunities for our students. Now you and many others are providing a different kind of support at a time when they need it most. We are truly grateful, but the words of our students themselves express the true impact. 

In the days ahead, please keep your Niner family in your thoughts, as you are in ours.