August 26, 2020

Funding Will Support Reopening Efforts Amid Pandemic

Susquehanna University has been awarded $210,000 from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to support the university in its efforts to reopen safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Susquehanna is one of 12 regional colleges and universities to receive funding from the foundation, which allocated a total of $2.5 million.

“Our regional colleges and universities are essential engines for growth – for the students who learn there, the people who work there and for the local communities whose economies we know they so powerfully impact,” said Foundation Director Sam Reiman. “The foundation has partnered with each of these schools on projects over the years. And we want to be there for them now, at this critical hour, as they navigate the complex logistics of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“These are unprecedented times, and in the face of these challenges, it is heartening to have the assistance of compassionate institutions that support our mission,” said University President Jonathan D. Green. “We greatly appreciate the support of the Richard King Mellon Foundation and will be careful stewards of their gift as we navigate the hurdles of this global pandemic to provide our students with the transformational education they expect from Susquehanna.”

Reiman said the grants, capped at $250,000 per school, are purposefully designed by the foundation to be flexible. The funding can be used for COVID-19 testing expenses; personal protective equipment; healthcare costs; technology costs necessary for enhanced virtual learning; or financial aid for the many students experiencing extraordinary need.

The grant monies cannot be used for overhead expenses, and each grant is contingent on a dollar-for-dollar match by each school.