The Dean of Student Life announced the implementation of a new campus-wide initiative, titled ‘Ferris Cares’, on Nov. 12.
Ferris Cares is a program designed to assist students with meeting their basic needs and accessing support that they may not otherwise receive.
The email explained that the Ferris Cares initiative will build off the work of the Bulldog Basic Needs Alliance (BBNA).
The BBNA was created during the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to help students face unexpected challenges that arose from the health crisis, such as food and housing insecurity.
The email cited the contributions of the BBNA Workgroup as a critical factor in the growth of the program.
“Thanks to the BBNA Workgroup and their dedication, we’ve built a strong foundation of care that continues to guide how we support Bulldogs.”
The Ferris Cares program will work to connect students to resources for emergency help, food access and housing support, transportation, childcare and technology assistance, mental health and wellness resources and long-term connections to campus and community programs.
The email further noted that Ferris Cares will not replace BBNA, but grow from the work that has already been done.
The announcement of the Ferris Cares initiative is the newest development in the implementation of student resources on campus.
Last year, the university opened the Bulldog Pantry, located on the lower floor of the DEC.
The pantry opened to all students, who simply need to swipe their student ID before entering the pantry to “shop” for food.
The university houses another food pantry in the West Campus Commons, also available for students with their ID.
During the summer semester, the Bulldog Pantry offered coupons to the Big Rapids farmers’ market to buy local fruit, vegetables, meats and cheeses.
The Ferris Cares program has a page on Ferris360, where students have the ability to access information about resources and help available to those in need.
Last week, the page posted resources for Thanksgiving meals in the local area for students who may be unable to go home or have access to a holiday meal.
Sonography sophomore Aubrey Lincoln explained that the initiative will help students worry less about their needs and more about their schoolwork.
“If they have a lot of those stresses, like food insecurity and transportation issues, if they have those taken off their shoulders, then they’ll be able to focus on their academics more, instead of all of those other stresses,” Lincoln said. “I feel like the program could make them feel like they are not in this alone, because not everyone has as much support from their family, and some people here are doing it by themselves. I think that our school helping them would make it feel like that’s somewhere they’d want to be.”
Lincoln further expressed hope that the program could grow to include more resources, such as access to counseling, school supplies for those who cannot afford to purchase them on their own and tutoring access.
Career technical education freshman Kiley Robidou echoed similar sentiments to Lincoln, explaining how access to these resources, particularly transportation, could change the experience students have at Ferris.
“I definitely think transportation is a big one, because car struggles are real,” Robidou said. “I live in Cramer and it’s kind of a far walk, especially in the cold. I think having the resources like these could allow for students to be more successful in classes. We’re paying a lot for tuition, so having resources available is a lot better than them saying okay, here you go, you’re paying for your classes, now go back to your dorm and figure it out. There’s more to it.”
Robidou also mentioned the possibility of tutoring being offered as a resource that could be helpful for students.
At the time this article was written, faculty were unavailable for comment. The Torch will continue to update this article with pertinent information and university statements as they become available.