Adopted by President’s Cabinet 3/28/17
East Georgia State College as an institution within the University System of Georgia is a participant in the Embark program with a designated point of contact being established in 2014. The Embark program was developed within the University System of Georgia to provide a point of contact for students who have previously or are currently classified as a homeless or foster child. The designated point of contact is currently our Director of Admissions with the second being our Director of Counseling and Disabilities. As a participant institution, East Georgia State College is establishing a program to assist students with some personal needs to support them while they obtain an education.
The establishment of an on-campus program will allow students to be referred for assistance or apply using the attached form so that their request can be reviewed by a committee. The Bobcat Bridge program was organized to ensure that students attending East Georgia State College would not be adversely affected in their academic studies due to their inability to provide basic needs. We have an established committee to ensure that student’s needs are analyzed and provided for as we have resources available to do so. Our mission is to bridge the gap between what their current status is and enable them to reach their goals. We diligently work to provide the bridge between academics and basic needs to assist our students for their next level in academics and life.
In order for a student to receive assistance through the program, they must submit an on-line request form and meet one of the following criteria:
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- Previous foster care or be classified as homeless
- EFC (expected family contribution) cannot exceed $0 based on financial aid criteria
- Must have unmet need in excess of $500
- If no EFC is present they must submit the following:
- Submit reason for extenuating circumstances
- Letters of reference from
- Family member
- Clergy
- Administrator
- Court appointed person
- The committee will make decisions on a case-by-case basis
The Bobcat Bridge Program will provide educational and personal counseling, mentoring, personal care needs, and assistance with food. These services can be requested through submittal of our online form, which allows the student to do so confidentially. The request will then be reviewed by our committee to determine need and to what extent it can be performed within a 24 business hour period. The student will then be contacted and informed of where they can receive their requested items. Standing Committee members will be as follows: Director of Admissions, Director of Counseling and Disabilities, Financial Aid representative, Director of Student Conduct, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Administrative Assistant for Social Sciences, and the President’s wife.
