The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act includes the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) that provides emergency funding to support students impacted by the campus disruption due to the coronavirus.

CARES Act Emergency Grants are released directly to students for qualifying expenses such as food, housing, technology needs, childcare expenses, medical expenses and other expenses resulting from the campus disruption.

Due to COVID-19, many students had a delay in their dissertation research. As a result, funding for these students ended before they had time to finish their research and degree.

Through the graduate school 22 CALS students applied for fall 2021 HEERF monies, and 20 of these students received funding totaling approximately $200,000.