Impact of Giving

My name is Patrick Hickey, fourth-year bachelor of science student and president of the Students’ Representative Council on UNB’s Saint John campus. I wanted to take a moment to fill you in on some of the ways my fellow UNB students are being affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Many students on both campuses have lost their part-time and summer employment because of COVID-19. As I am sure you remember from your own time as a student, employment can be vital for making ends meet. Students have been hit especially hard – so much of our work is in the service industry, tourism, and other sectors that have been closed by the pandemic. Having lost their source of income to pay for tuition, textbooks, rent, and groceries, these students now face difficult decisions about their academic future.

The government supports that have been put in place exclude many students, including those already receiving financial aid. Where students do qualify, the income only provides an income for the basic costs of living and does not support the costs of returning to university in the fall.

I have heard from many students who were required to travel home at the last minute, paying out of pocket for last-minute flights, a significant expense especially for international students and those living in residence.

To those of you who have already given, thank you. We understand that these are very challenging times for many of you, too, and we do not take your support for granted. Your generosity has allowed students to pay their bills, buy groceries, and alleviate some of the stress that loss of income inevitably brings.

If you are in a position to help, please consider supporting the students following in your footsteps with a gift to the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund. Your gift will be matched.

Thank you very much for supporting your alma mater and our students.

Yours sincerely,

Patrick M. Hickey
President, Students’ Representative Council
UNB Saint John