Help ENC Faculty and Staff Kids Continue their Education
Donation protected
Update: The four students listed below each received a first disbursement of $188.67 yesterday (this was an even distribution of the total amount raised so far, minus Go Fund Me fees). They are all very grateful for the support! I have updated the total amount needed to reflect what is currently needed for the 2024-2025 school year. As things change, this can be updated for the future, but I think it was a little daunting to see how much could be needed overall, while thinking about just this year is a little more manageable (it's still a lot)!
Due to the recent announcement of Eastern Nazarene College’s closing, students who are children of faculty and staff have found themselves with considerable unexpected costs associated with transferring to different schools. ENC faculty and staff have often depended on tuition remission and the potential for their children to “commute” from housing that is on campus or very close to campus. Some of these options are no longer available or have been greatly reduced, which is placing an immediate burden on these students and families. All of the students listed below are children of ENC faculty or staff. Many of them are part of the Church of the Nazarene and have parents who also serve in ministry. A number of people have asked how they can help, and making a way for our children to complete their undergraduate education without interruption is a practical way to alleviate some of the stress we are facing in the midst of losing income and community. Please consider donating to help us in this way.*
- Amaris Hernandez-Diaz needs approximately $25,000 to cover housing & tuition for her senior year at Gordon College. Amaris is a rising senior (Class of 2025) at ENC, majoring in Intercultural Studies and an honors student. She is the current SGA President and has had the honor of serving at ENC in several ways over the past three years. Here are some of the leadership roles and activities she has been involved in as an ENC student: SGA Vice President of Student Success & Belonging, Resident Assistant, Small Group Leader for a group called “Rooted,” Small Group Student Chaplain for the Office of Spiritual Development, Chaplain for Summer Ministry, Worship Leader for Kingdom Experience, Chapel Team Member, Worship Team Member for “Remix,” Student-Athlete on the Soccer Team, Social Media Ambassador for the Center for Student Enrichment, Leadership Involvement with the Latino Student Association, Served as a translator for an intercultural pilgrimage with other students called “El Camino” through France and Spain, Participated in the Asbury Revival ,Participated in FUSION ministry trips to Iceland, Colombia, Texas, Kenya & Rwanda. Amaris is Transferring to Gordon, which will allow her to finish a degree in Christian Ministries with a concentration in Social Impact, General Communications and a minor in Communications & Culture. Her concentration will continue to be in Intercultural Relations.
- Caleb Michaels intended to complete his senior year at ENC during the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, graduating in May of 2025 with a degree in Crime, Law, and Justice (and a philosophy minor). Caleb has been involved in leadership at ENC as the Student Chaplain of Service Engagement as well as the President of the Rotaract Club, a small group leader, a member of chapel teams, and a three-time participant in Fusion short-term service and missions teams. Caleb is now planning to transfer to Gordon College, where he will major in Philosophy, with a Pre-law minor. This will still allow him to graduate in May 2025 and pursue law school the following fall. Gordon has offered him tuition exchange for his senior year! Thanks be to God! This has greatly decreased his need! However, because of the loss of on-campus housing, Caleb will still need approximately $10,000 for room and board after grants are applied. Because of the loss of health insurance, and the college requirement for such, he will also need approximately $2,500 to cover that expense. That brings the total he will need to complete his degree to around $12,500.
- Marah Neil will be an incoming Freshman - majoring in Christian ministries, with a concentration in youth ministry at Gordon in the fall. She is the daughter of ENC alums Ben & Eva Neil (2001). Eva has also served as a full time staff member for 23 years. Marah is passionate about God & the people here or in her path. She also loves travel, writing, photography & music. She is hoping to join Gordon’s gospel choir and wants to help to start a poetry club. Marah is studious and ambitious. She was the recipient of several awards in Excellence based on her high school GPA & test scores as well as awards voted on by her teachers. Her creativity and ambition also led her to an opportunity to illustrate two children’s books. She hopes to bring this same commitment to excellence to all of her studies and activities at Gordon. Marah will need approximately $7,000 to cover remaining costs for housing, meals & fees in 24-25. She and her two brothers were approved for the tuition exchange program in 24-25. While her brothers, who are transferring to Gordon from ENC, were approved for a multi-year tuition exchange, Marah has yet to learn if hers will continue beyond the 24-25 year. Due to the ENC closure the concern is that this may not be continued and her bill will jump from $7,000 to $25,000 or more each year. Thank you for prayers and support!!
- Lydia Murphy was accepted to Eastern Nazarene College as a Freshman this upcoming 2023-2024 school year following the footsteps of her alumni parents, Jennifer Murphy and Robert Murphy, a long-time employee of ENC since 2002. Lydia was seeking out a Psychology Degree in Child & Adolescent Development and was looking forward to serving alongside of her Dad on the ENC Fusion trips. Lydia will now transfer to Mount Vernon Nazarene University to join their Psychology Program. Due to the move to another state, Lydia has incurred the added expense of housing, which will cost an approximately $11,000 per year totaling $44,000, with the added expense of traveling to and from home during breaks over the 4 years.
*All of the numbers given are approximate, as colleges and universities make changes to tuition, fees, room and board, etc. on a yearly basis, and as FAFSA is also somewhat fluid. Any funds donated to these students will be applied directly to their educational costs. If there is an excess raised, funds will be applied to future costs for the undergraduate education of ENC faculty and staff children who would have been eligible for tuition remission but no longer have that option (current college students at other schools who will lose tuition remission after a year, current high school students who will no longer have tuition remission, etc.). If additional faculty and staff children are identified, they will also be added to this list.
Edit: I have been asked by a member of the ENC transitional cabinet to make it clear that ENC will not donate to this cause, nor is this an official ENC fundraiser.
Organizer
Lisa Michaels
Organizer
Quincy, MA