For Immediate Release
Contact: Kim Schmelz, Foundation Director
Phone: 608.822.2379
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: December 14, 2021
Southwest Tech students benefit from United Fund of Iowa County grant
Fennimore -Fennimore, Wis. – The Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Foundation received a $3,000 grant from the United Fund of Iowa County (UFIC) in March 2021 for the Charger Dream fund. The funding was used to help seven Southwest Tech students survive financial emergencies and continue their studies at Southwest Tech. The seven students were from Iowa County and five of them successfully completed their program in the spring of 2021 after receiving a Charger Dream grant.
The Charger Dream Fund was established with a grant from the Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation to provide emergency grants up to $500 to help students weather financial emergencies and allow them to stay in school. During the 2020-21 academic year, the Charger Dream Fund awarded $44,000 to 101 students. Students used their grant to pay for expenses such as internet hot spots, rent, medical bills, or car repairs.
“The United Fund of Iowa County has been helping Southwest Tech students be successful since 2012,” said Kim Schmelz, Foundation director at Southwest Tech. “Because of their generosity, we have been able to help numerous Iowa County students weather financial emergencies and stay on track to graduate. This grant makes a big impact every year.”
The mission of the UFIC is to lead a united effort that improves the quality of life in their community by striving to support community health and human service needs and to raise awareness and distribute financial resources.
For more information on how to support the Charger Dream fund or other support funds and scholarships, contact the Southwest Tech Foundation at 608.822.2379.