Many students are scrambling to find resources after local colleges were suddenly forced to close their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, writes Sojourner Ahebee for the WHYY.

Rasaaq Shittu, a freshman at Haverford College who works on campus at Haverford’s Maker Arts Space, unexpectedly found himself without federal work-study income.

And while Haverford will pay students for the hours they have missed while being off campus, Shittu said there was no guarantee on whether he would be paid for scheduled future hours. And without a refund, he does not know how to replace the lost income.

Still, Shittu said he has been very satisfied with the way Haverford is communicating with students. Its updates are frequent and available in many forms, such as email and website updates.

He also said he has been moved by the support students are extending to their college compatriots.

“The community is coming together to help each other,” said Shittu. “People [are] opening up resources, people are sending links, people are writing petitions, working together, collaborating… This reaffirms one of the reasons why I would go to a place like Haverford.”

Read more about the issue at the WHYY by clicking here.

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