By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Shaw University in Raleigh has an emergency on its hands, but this time it’s trying to prevent a tragedy, not recover from one.
As of July 1st, 45 of the small, private, Baptist-affiliated historically Black university’s students were in danger of not being allowed to register to return for classes next academic school year because their university accounts were not cleared, meaning they could not attend classes, live in residence halls, travel or take part in any of the other normal experiences of campus life.
With classes scheduled to begin August 14th, many of those students still owe between $2,500-$5,000 each. And some of those students are seniors preparing to graduate next year.
Given that challenge, Dr. Paulette Dillard, president of Shaw University, launched CESA (Campaign for Emergency Student Aid) on July 1st, in an attempt to raise $175,000 to erase the balances of the 45 students for the fall semester.
“The students associated with those accounts are bright, they have promise, curiosity, ability and perseverance,” said Dr. Dillard in her outreach letter to the Shaw Bear Nation.
“Yet they come from low-income households and have no family contributions toward their education,” she continued. “The idea of students having to drop out of college because of an unpaid balance is something we cannot let happen.”
“They don’t want to drop out of school,” Dr. Dillard maintained.
Ms. Marilyn Baldwin Richards, vice president for Institutional Advancement and chief development officer at Shaw University, is in charge of the CESA effort. She says the HBCU has never conducted this kind of fundraising campaign before, but knew it had to once the need became apparent.
“We’ve had good response, but we need more,” Ms. Richards said. Some donors have specified certain students on the spreadsheet to contribute to, Richards added - like four seniors, or a political science student - all of whom who had outstanding back balances individually, and now are now able to return to school next semester.
Ms. Richards noted that when CESA was initially started on July 1st, it had a July 15th deadline, but because all of the students had not been cleared by that time, the CESA campaign will continue to the extended deadline, which Richards says is at the end of the month.
“We will refit to work on any additional funds we need to clear the remaining balances,” she assured.
As of July 11th, contributions to CESA have allowed 17 of the 45 students to clear their university balances, and “…have a seat on the first day of classes on August 14th.” But, according to Dr. Dillard and Ms. Richards, 28 students still have outstanding accounts totaling $111,630, preventing them from being registered in a timely fashion.
So the community’s help and contributions continue to be desperately needed.
Ms. Richards and Dr. Dillard are asking potential contributors to donate an amount “…that works for your sense of generosity” to help impacted Shaw U juniors and seniors, in particular, not drop out of school because of unpaid bills.
They are urging contributors to go to the secure online portal at shaw.edu/giving, and designate their gift for CESA in the dropdown menu.
Contributors sending checks should make them payable to Shaw University and mail them to 118 East South Street, Raleigh, NC 27601.
Please put “CESA” on the memo line.
Contributors who have already donated are also asked to consider ways to double their gift. If they work for or are retired from a corporation, perhaps it will match the initial gift, they suggest.
Dr. Dillard thanks everyone who has contributed to CESA, and intends to do so before the July 31st deadline.
“You have made it possible for 17 young people to continue their education,” Dr. Dillard says. “I’m counting on you to help me keep all of them in school. They’ll return to campus next month and work hard to yield a return on your investment. I’ll see to it.”
