The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Pioneers Helping Pioneers emergency grant program was honored last week with the UW System Board of Regents’ 14th annual Diversity Award. The award recognizes individuals and programs that foster access and success for students who are members of historically underrepresented populations.
The Pioneers Helping Pioneers emergency grant program provides essential emergency financial assistance to UW-Platteville students in need. Through the leadership of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Executive Director Laura Franklin and the program’s staff, UW-Platteville has helped more than 3,500 students over the past two years, providing an average of $1,600 per student and relieving these students of financial burdens that could hinder their education. Students receiving these grants are retained or graduate at rates consistently above 90 percent. Top areas for which students seek emergency assistance include tuition, housing, food, transportation and utilities.
“The award recognizes the incredible commitment to our students and their success,” said UW-Platteville Chancellor Dennis J. Shields. “This commitment was especially evident during the onset of the pandemic and made it possible for our students to continue their academic journey knowing they were supported by the university community. I am grateful to everyone that made Pioneers Helping Pioneers possible and successful.”
UW-Platteville has provided emergency grants to students since 2017, when it became a participant in Ascendium’s Dash Emergency Grant program. Through this program, UW-Platteville received a $420,000 grant used to distribute funds to students for unexpected emergencies. It assisted more than 225 students in the first year, with an average grant of $1,000. The program was so successful that, at the end of its two-year run, UW-Platteville leaders, with the support of the UW-Platteville Foundation, established the Pioneers Helping Pioneers fund in 2019 to continue its commitment to providing emergency financial assistance to students.
In the spring of 2020, the university was able to add $2.55 million from federal Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to the Pioneers Helping Pioneers fund. This provided vital assistance to a number of students experiencing unprecedented challenges at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Pioneers Helping Pioneers has been a critical project, grounded in directly addressing emergency student needs,” said Angela Miller, assistant chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and chief diversity officer. “Pioneers Helping Pioneers came into reality for our campus in 2017, championed by the passion and commitment of Laura Franklin. We recognized how significant the need is for our students. Additionally, we understood that no matter what kind of support one provides, when a student is experiencing a financial crisis, direct fiscal support to aid the immediate financial concern is required to retain our students and assist them in connecting to additional support their experience may benefit from. This includes tutoring, mentoring, mental health services, academic coaching, and/or connections with community. The outcomes of the last four years speak for itself; this program supports students being able to persist and be successful in their education goals. Laura’s dedication to support grant writing, reporting, seek funding sources, and efforts in leading and adjusting our internal processes to align with the needs of funding sources acquired has been a tremendous amount of work. I couldn’t be more proud to see Laura and Pioneers Helping Pioneers recognized for the incredible impact this work has made. It’s been a labor of love and care to ensure we can serve students with resources they truly need.”
Franklin was recognized at the February Board of Regents meeting in Madison, Wisconsin. Recipients of the award receive $7,500 to support the program being honored.
Collaborating partners in the Pioneers Helping Pioneers fund include the UW-Platteville Foundation, UW-Platteville Development and Alumni Engagement, Office of Financial Aid and Cashier’s Office. For more information on Pioneers Helping Pioneers, visit www.uwplatt.edu/department/diversity-equity-inclusion/pioneers-helping-pioneers.