Centralia College Awarded $100,000 to Help Financially Struggling Students

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The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges has awarded $100,000 to Centralia College as part of $2 million in overall funding for colleges to help financially struggling students stay in school. 

The Student Emergency Assistance Grant Program was created by the Washington state Legislature earlier this year. It provides funding to community and technical colleges to help students pay for expenses such as unexpected bills, emergency car repairs, food, childcare, rent and utilities. 

Other colleges receiving grants include Clark College, Edmonds Community College, Grays Harbor College, Green River College, Lake Washington Institute of Technology, Lower Columbia College Peninsula College, Pierce College District, Seattle Central College, Shoreline Community College, Skagit Valley College, Tacoma Community College, Walla Walla Community College and Whatcom Community College. 

Four community colleges also received funding under the Supporting Students Experiencing Homelessness Pilot Program, also recently established by the legislature. 



According to the board, last year seven in 10 community college students across the country “experienced food or housing insecurity.”

“So many of our students are living on the edge,” said Jan Yoshiwara, executive director of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. “An unexpected car repair or medical bill can force them to drop out of college. “These grants recognize that living expenses are a type of educational expense; They go hand-in-hand. These grants will help students stay in school and achieve their dreams.”