Ozarks Technical Community College will distribute $3.4 million to its students on Friday, March 26. The funds were made available to OTC students from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II), part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSSA).
Students who are eligible to receive Pell Grants will receive $465. All other students will receive $400. The Pell Grant is a federal financial aid award designed to help the nation’s most under-resourced students. The money is a grant to the students and does not have to be paid back. Recipients may use the funds to cover expenses such as rent, food, transportation, childcare or school-related costs.
“The past year has been stressful for everyone physically, emotionally and economically,” said Dr. Hal Higdon, OTC chancellor. “I am thankful we can distribute these funds to our students to provide some relief for those who have suffered financial hardships.”
In 2020, under HEERF I, OTC distributed $3,975,331 to students in the form of grants. Plus, the college allocated an additional $176,405 in HEERF I grants for students who required emergency funding. OTC also made available $500 technology grants for those students who needed computers, software or WiFi to participate in remote learning.