Students at CSI who are facing short-term financial emergencies may apply for Petrie Student Emergency funds to help them remain in school.

The College of Staten Island Foundation recently received a grant of up to $300,000 from The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation in support of the Petrie Student Emergency Fund.

View the CSI Petrie Grant Website and download the Petrie Grant application form.

According to Dr. A. Ramona Brown, CSI Vice President for Student Affairs and Chair of the College’s Petrie Student Emergency Response Committee (PSERC),  “This fund was created for the purpose of providing quick response grants to matriculated CSI students with short-term financial emergencies to enable them to remain in school, rather than being forced to take a leave of absence or drop out.”

The maximum student award is $1,500, but in rare circumstances that are appropriately documented, the amount could be higher.

Fred Kogut, Interim Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Vice Chair of the Committee, said that examples of emergencies covered under the grant “could be an uninsured dental or medical problem, a sudden loss of childcare, loss of essential academic belongings or perhaps being homeless due to a fire. It’s an emergency situation that, but for the grant, could cause the student to drop out of school.”

Dr. Brown noted that all student grant requests are subject to review by the Petrie Student Emergency Response Committee, a body comprised of representatives of a number of student support services offices and programs on campus. Mr. Kogut explained that “the Committee was organized to help formulate policies and procedures, based on the guidelines of the Petrie Foundation, as well as to make recommendations to the Vice President as to the disposition of each application. To advertise this opportunity, an application form, information brochure for students, poster promoting the [Petrie grant], and a Website from which an application can be downloaded have been developed.

Established in 1994 after the death of Milton Petrie, who was known for providing assistance to people in need after reading of their situations in the newspaper, the Petrie Foundation provides support for education programs in the City of New York.

For more information on the program, contact the Office of Student Affairs in Building 1A, Room 301, or call them at 718.982.2335. Specific information on policies and procedures can also be found on the Petrie Student Emergency Fund Website.  An application can be downloaded from the site as well.

Applications can also be obtained through the offices of the members of the Petrie Student Emergency Response Committee:

Dr. A. Ramona Brown, Chairperson

Dean Frederick J. Kogut, Vice Chair

Ms. Donna Brogna, Financial Aid, 2A-401C

Ms. Carol Brower, Student Life, 1C-201

Ms. Linda Conte, Health and Wellness Services, 1C-112

Ms. Debra Evans-Green, Access and Success Program, 1A-310

Ms. Stefanie Gardiner, Financial Aid, 2A-401C

Ms. Harriet Giapoutzis, COPE, 1A-109A

Mr. Philippe Marius, Financial Aid, 2A-401C

Ms. Miriam Perez-Lai, SEEK Program, 1A-112G