According to research constructed by OSU.edu, 7 out of 10 college students are stressing about their scholarly finances and are dropping out or contemplating taking a break from their studies because of the expenses.

Washburn’s community faces the same scholarly finance stress epidemic; however, when these stresses are whispered amongst the Bods, the challenge is taken into their own hands to try to put an end to this. This time Bods are coming together to help one another, with the new organization constructed by the Washburn University Alumni Association and Foundation and Ichabods Moving Forward. Eight students created a student philanthropy group and  tossed around the idea of an emergency fund for the students of Washburn.  

The team of students, JJ Brania-Hopp, Kelli Forrest, Sydney Fox, Reed Harp, Paul Mismaque, Becca Nyman, Colin Truhe and Makayla Vargo, have been at school events to bring awareness to this new organization. 

Thus far, the organization has already initiated over 20 donors. Students can donate money into the emergency fund to help classmates who are struggling. The donation process gives the donor the option to be anonymous, however, as explained by Becca Nyman, “There are ways you can get a thank you letter. There is not a minimum requirement for how much you donate, but if you donate 15 dollars or more, the Washburn Alumni Association and Foundation will give you a free gift.” The gift is a t-shirt with the organization’s logo on it which says, ‘for students, by students.’ Becca Nyman wants donors to know that, “We don’t have a set number of students [we are aiming to help]. By making this emergency fund, we’re actually just going to help the students in general. Because if you donate, you know that your money is going directly to a student that needs it because the Washburn Alumni Association and Foundation covers all of the group’s costs. So, all of the money that is donated goes directly into this emergency fund.”

Becca Nyman explained, “Washburn is a home for so many different variety of students, international, traditional, non-traditional, people from all over the world, and country, we understand that eventually someone will need help eventually, and this fund will really just support that and help the students who are in need.”

The Ichabods Moving Forward emergency fund is essentially a temporary emergency assistance, Becca explained a circumstance for which the fund may be accessed, “If your car breaks down, if it’s going to hinder your studies, were going to help you as best as we can. If driving to school is your only option, the organization will be available to try to help you get that issue fixed.”

“Being a part of the organization really means that I get to help someone who is in need, Ichabods moving forward was started so that students can help students, because Washburn is a place where everyone know each other, because it is a community, but we realized that there wasn’t a lot of help outside of financial aid, for students. That’s why I was passionate about this, so that I can help students who may not have any other resources, and allowing them to stay in their classes, because nothing is more powerful than education,” Nyman said. “I did it because Washburn is my home, and I want other students to feel like its their home as well, and in order for that to happen they have to have that community feel of being able to support each other.”

Bods can get involved to the donation process of the organization by going online, to: www.wualumni.org/ichabodsmovingforward, scroll down to the blue box at the bottom and click, ‘Give Now’, fill out the form and submit your donation. The organization ensures that 100% of your donation will be directly donated into the organization helping students, no portion of your donation will be deposited into the organizations operating expenses, as those expenses are covered by The Washburn Alumni Association and Foundation.

The organization will be accepting assistance applications in January of 2019. Students can submit assistance applications for themselves or a friend, as this organization strives for students and by students. For more information contact Ichabods Moving Forward at [email protected] or 785.670.2751.