Mississippi State University recently announced that it is disbursing more than $12 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding directly to university students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The U.S. Department of Education is providing the funds to help students experiencing financial need or emergency costs due to the pandemic, a release from MSU says. The funds will cover tuition, food, housing, healthcare and childcare.

Students must apply by Sept. 16, at which point MSU officials will review applications and begin working to distribute funds. Students can apply by logging in to the myState portal at http://my.msstate.edu/ and then using the Financial and Scholarship tab to ARP Act Application. To comply with guidelines from the U.S. Department of Education and the ARP legislation, students must certify on the application that they have experienced financial need and/or have emergency costs due to the pandemic.

All MSU students enrolled for the current fall semester as of Aug. 27 are eligible to receive funding. The amount of funds distributed will vary by student. Students will receive the funds via direct deposit or paper check, or can apply them to their student account to cover any outstanding balance.

For more information about ARP fund eligibility and applications, call the Office of Student Financial Aid at 662-325-2450, email [email protected] or visit msstate.edu.

USM Launches 4 + 1 = Done! Initiative

The University of Southern Mississippi Graduate School recently launched the 4 + 1 = Done! initiative, which allows undergraduate students in designated degree programs to complete their bachelor’s degree in four years while sharing some coursework with a master’s program in the same or related discipline.

Some accelerated course options equip graduates for “Bright Outlook” occupations, which refer to fields expected to grow rapidly in the next several years or have many job openings, a release from USM says. Since applicants holding master’s degrees have an advantage in the job market for Bright Outlook fields, the release says, USM is providing the opportunity to earn a master’s degree more quickly and at a lower total cost.

Accelerated bachelor’s to master’s degree programs are available for bachelor in chemistry to master of public health; bachelor in child and family sciences to master of science; bachelor in criminal justice to master of criminal justice; bachelor in English to master of English; bachelor in library and information science to master of library and information science; bachelor in mathematics to master of public health; bachelor in public health to master of public health; and bachelor in public health to master of public health.

For more information on the 4 + 1 = Done! initiative, call the USM Graduate School at 601-266-4262 or visit https://www.usm.edu/graduate-school/. For more information on Bright Outlook occupations, visit onetonline.org.

JSU Receives TRIO Educational Opportunity Center Grant

Jackson State University’s Office of Student Success and Title III recently received a third TRIO program grant for more than $1.1 million over a five-year period from the U.S. Department of Education.

The TRIO Educational Opportunity Center grant assists unemployed adults, low-wage workers, and returning high school and college students in entering or continuing a program of postsecondary education. The program will serve 850 participants annually, a release from JSU says.

TRIO EOC provides counseling and information on college admissions and services to improve participants’ financial and economic literacy. Services include academic and personal counseling, tutoring and mentoring, career workshops, information on postsecondary education opportunities, student financial assistance and help in completing applications for college admissions.

The project will serve residents of 34 cities in Copiah, Hinds, Holmes, Scott, Simpson, Warren and Yazoo Counties. Low-income, first-generation and disabled individuals will receive priority. The EOC program will also prioritize assistance to military or veteran connected individuals.

TRIO EOC will work collaboratively with two other TRIO Student Support Services programs that JSU previously received U.S. Department of Education grants for in September 2020.

For more information, visit jsums.edu or ww2.ed.gov.