The Institute of International Education (IIE) has provided USD 1 million to assist international students in the United States affected by the coronavirus pandemic and is fundraising an additional USD 1 million. 

The available funds cover about 300 emergency grants. The additional funds to be collected during the ongoing campaign are designed to aid another 300 students.

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Stepping forward to support students

Having been founded in 1919 in the middle of the Spanish influenza pandemic, helping students out in times of war, natural disasters or pandemic is “part of IIE’s DNA”, CEO of IIE, Allan E. Goodman, was quoted as saying by The PIE News. Goodman said that given the huge number of international students in the US, there was “a lot of sympathy” for them. “We’re accustomed to having a million international students in America.”

To halt the spread of the coronavirus, universities around the US have closed residence halls and moved courses online. The necessary but abrupt campus closures are challenging for many international students, IIE said. Some are unable to go home to be with their families—border closures and cancelled flights make it impossible. Others made the difficult decision to remain in the US, concerned that they might not be able to return when their university reopens.

The institute said it “is stepping forward to meet this need. International students in the US can turn to IIE for help by asking their on-campus advisors to nominate them for IIE’s emergency grant assistance.”

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Students need to be nominated

IEE has asked its more than 1,400 member institutions in the United States to nominate students on their campuses who are struggling with the consequences of the pandemic. 

“We received more than 1,200 nominations from more than 250 member institutions, just after sending one notification,” Nele Feldmann, head of IIE Student Emergency Initiatives, told the PIE News.

Although IIE will not be able to help every single student, it’s not a small endeavour to support 600 students. The value of this initiative is also in its example of what one organisation can achieve, IIE’s CEO said. 

For more details about the IIE Emergency Student Fund: Covid-19 Response, please visit the programme website. 

Source: IIE, the PIE News