SU Cares: A Student Perspective

Since COVID started going on some two years ago now, there were limited financial reprieves from our places of business and education in terms of benefits that could help the student body specifically as a whole. That is until the student stimulus for HBCUs began during the semester following COVIDs rise where students received federal funding on an executive order from then President Donald Trump.
For members of the student body at Southern University, the student stimulus, or Cares Act, has been a second refund of sorts that all students are entitled to. While the amount per student varies depending on their refunds this year, there was a $900 minimum that all students were able to collect.
“Southern was clutch for that. There was a story saying we were getting them before the Bayou Classic, but I didn’t think they were really coming this late in the year. It definitely made my weekend in New Orleans some spending power though, so I’m grateful,” said Kalyn Brown, a sophomore marketing major from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
In speaking to members of the student body, the overwhelming attitude displayed is gratification for funds that many students weren’t sure that we were still receiving this semester. According to junior biology major Ivian Bell, despite the money being welcomed by herself and her peers, they were curious as to why it was distributed so late in the semester.
“I needed that. It’s late in the semester and I didn’t even get a refund, so this helped me out a lot. All the other Cares Acts came earlier in the year though, so it would’ve been nice to get this one earlier too, but I can’t complain,” said Bell.
In semesters past, the Cares Act was distributed fairly close to the time that refunds were distributed to the student body. With the official refund period having begun close to two months ago, many students had simply assumed the act no longer applied as we began a new academic year.
As college students, there’s no time ever when $900 wouldn’t be a boon, but on the week leading up to the Classic, the timing of this years Cares Act was advantageous for the student body as they looked to close out the Fall semester.