Previous Story
NMC to disburse remaining 30% of CARES Act fund to students
The Northern Marianas College will be distributing the remaining $284,429 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES Act funds, for NMC students enrolled in the fall 2020 semester.
The funds are specifically allocated by the CARES Act to help students who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Department of Education allotted approximately $1.8 million to NMC earlier this year. The CARES Act requires that half of the funds allocated to NMC, or $920,000, must be reserved for students whose lives and education had been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak.
In April this year, NMC released approximately 80% in CARES Act funding to eligible students. Full-time students received $715.35 each, while part-time students received $357.67 each. A total of 996 students enrolled in spring 2020 completed the form to receive the funding.
According to the interim chief financial officer, Shelly Tudela, this time around, the distribution, which will cover the remaining 30% of funds, each student, whether enrolled full-time or part-time, will receive about $242.78. The U.S. Department of Education has advised NMC that the funds should only be distributed to students who have demonstrated eligibility to file a Free Application for Student Aid or FAFSA form.
The first time around, students was able to choose if they wanted paper check or direct deposit. This time, NMC will be mailing checks to students. NMC’s students are advised to fill out and submit the online form that was sent to their student email so that they can receive their checks as soon as possible.
Tudela stated that the CARES Act funds are made available for the purpose of providing financial aid grants to students for their expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to coronavirus pandemic, such as course materials, technology, food, housing, health care, and child-care expenses.
