DUNMORE, Pa. — Many people think of college as a time not only to earn a degree, but to grow personally, make friends and have fun. However, for many students, it can also bring unexpected challenges and hardships that can make their day-to-day life, and their college experience, overwhelming. Recognizing that not everyone’s college journey is carefree, a newly formed group at Penn State Scranton is working to ensure students don’t have to face those challenges alone.
The campus’ Student CARE and Advocacy Team was created to help students facing crises by providing support needed for food insecurity, mental health, academics, general health and wellness, and/or financial aid.
“The Student CARE and Advocacy Team at Penn State Scranton is a collaborative, multidisciplinary group dedicated to supporting student well-being and success, explained Assistant Director of Student Services Nikki Paolicelli. “What makes our campus approach unique is the involvement of multiple areas in the assessment and student support process, including staff representation from student affairs, academic affairs, financial aid and campus police, which allows for a well-rounded and holistic perspective when reviewing student concerns.”
Students can request help from the team, and faculty and staff are encouraged to refer any students they feel are in need of assistance.
“To ensure we are responsive and up-to-date, the team meets on a weekly basis to discuss student needs and determine appropriate support strategies,” Paolicelli said. “The team uses a holistic approach when reaching out to help. This ensures that they are supporting the whole student and are not limited to only one aspect of their well-being.”
The number of students helped by the CARE Team varies. Over the course of an academic year, an average of 30 to 40 students are considered for assistance, with some of those being emergency cases. Paolicelli reported that they have only had only a few serious emergent need-based cases this year, including students who needed immediate places to stay or were dealing with serious threats, abuse, neglect, mental health issues and/or food insecurities.
“The job of the CARE Team was to get them to safety and connected with the proper resources, like the (campus) food pantry and other outside community partners like the Scranton Counseling Center, for more in-depth treatment plans,” she said.
For necessary funding, the CARE Team has access to student emergency funds through the University Park campus, and since this program is strictly need-based, many checks are run through LionPath and the Office of Financial Aid to determine what funding is available for the student.
If you recognize that a student may be struggling, complete the referral form on Penn State Scranton’s website to express concern for a student experiencing distress of an academic, health, safety or financial nature.