College is meant to be a time when students are challenged—to learn, to grow, to succeed. The challenges facing some undergraduates can seem insurmountable, however. Hard work alone may not be enough to overcome the impact of a family member's job loss, illness, or death. Ambition and dedication can be overwhelmed by special circumstances beyond the student's control. Through no fault of their own, the young people who could benefit the most from earning a degree must sometimes abandon that dream in the face of difficult personal and financial circumstances.

GIVING TUESDAY DECEMBER 3, 2024

Make your GivingTuesday contributions to the Student Hardship Fund. GIVE NOW

With a gift to the Student Hardship Fund at Penn State Scranton, you can make the difference for undergraduates who need and deserve a helping hand.

Your support will be directed to students experiencing extraordinary and sometimes unexpected hardships that affect their ability to cover the costs of their education, including:

  • Tuition
  • Books
  • Computers
  • Transportation
  • Living expenses

Awards will be made at the discretion of the chancellor, in consultation with student aid officers. Recipients will not be required to repay the funds. Instead, your support will help to minimize their personal and educational debt and allow them to stay focused on their academic goals.

Financial Need at Penn State Scranton

Some past examples of how the fund has helped students include: 

  • Provided tuition funds, as well as extra cash, for transportation to visit an out-of-state specialist for a student diagnosed with cancer.
  • Helped a student who had to work full-time to cover mortgage and utilities when their single father became gravely ill with COVID-19 and spent several months in the hospital.
  • Assisted in covering household expenses for a full-time adult learner whose wife was diagnosed with cancer and couldn’t work, allowing the student to stay in school without needing to work full-time.
  • Replaced textbooks for a student who lost their possessions in a housefire.

If you would like to assist students in getting through tough times, please visit raise Penn State to make a gift and search for "Penn State Scranton" under the "Search for an area to support" and the Student Hardship Fund will be listed there. You may also send a check to:

Development Office
Penn State Scranton
120 Ridge View Drive
Dunmore, PA 18512

To learn more about the need for student support, please contact the Development Office at 570-963-2536.