The School of Extended and International Education is teaming up with NomaCares to provide a Fire-Impact Scholarship, which will help Sonoma State University students affected by the North Bay fires to further their education.

According to Jamie Zamjahn, the head of NomaCares, full scholarships for Winter Intersession 2018 are being offered to students who lost homes to the fires. 

During Winter Intersession, a four-unit course costs $1,180 and a three-unit course costs $885. The Fire-Impact Scholarship will cover the fee for one class, regardless of units. 

Gregory Milton, director of academic programs at Sonoma State, said the intended goal of the Fire-Impact Scholarship is “making Intercession classes more accessible for those with financial need.”

Students can apply for the scholarship now, but they must be registered with NomaCares or have documentation of how they have been affected.

Robert Eyler, dean of the School of Extended and International Education, said 50 students are currently registered with NomaCares.

Zamjahn said more than 60 students visited the NomaCares Center while it was open, and many students mentioned dropping classes for the semester. 

While the center is psychically closed, students who still need assistance can visit the Undeclared Advising Office in Salazar 1070.

All students directly impacted by the fires qualify for the scholarship. Whether a student has dropped classes or not does not affect their eligibility for the Fire-Impact Scholarship.

Eyler, Milton and Executive Director of Business and Program Operations Jason Lau first introduced the scholarship. 

The scholarship should help students to “stay on track in their academic programs and toward graduation,” Milton said.

After hearing that impacted students dropped some fall semester classes, staff at NomaCares aided Eyler in creating scholarship opportunities that would most effectively benefit these students.

Both Eyler and Milton said the scholarship aims to help students graduate the same semester they intended to prior to the fires.

Eyler acknowledged that “the fires have disrupted education plans” for many students. Some have dropped a class or the entire semester. 

According to Eyler, NomaCares and the School of Extended and International Education are hoping to provide the same scholarship to fire-affected students for Summer Session 2018. In the years following, they may continue to offer the Fire-Impact Scholarship if there are still affected students who need it.  

To apply to the Fire-Impact Scholarship, call NomaCares at (707) 664-4390 or by email at [email protected].

For other Winter Intersession scholarships, visit the School for Extended and International Education’s website at web.sonoma.edu/exed/intersession/scholarships.