Lindsay France/University Photography

Glenn Altschuler, second from left, presents Charter Day Weekend registration proceeds to Cornell's Student Support Fund. Kent Hubbell, left, Kellie Page and Maha Ghandour '17 received the check on behalf of the fund.

The university has given the proceeds – almost $42,000 – from Charter Day Weekend registration fees to the Student Support Fund, the Emergency CARE (Cornellians Aiding and Responding to Employees) Fund and the Tompkins County Library Foundation. Each group received $13,962 at an afternoon ceremony July 23 at the university’s Sesquicentennial Grove. Betsy Shrier, associate vice president for human resources and safety services, hosted the event.

Glenn Altschuler, dean of the School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions and chair of the Sesquicentennial Steering Committee, said the Charter Day Weekend registration fee helped organizers gauge the event’s attendance. “[The steering committee] conceived the idea of giving that money back to organizations that would make wonderful use of it,” he said.

Altschuler presented the Student Support Fund check to Maha Ghandour ’17, student assembly representative; Kellie Page, interim vice president for student and academic services; and Kent Hubbell, dean of students. The fund, managed by Student and Academic Services, provides money to undergraduate and graduate students in times of an emergency or crisis.

“It can be really challenging for students in emergency situations to find the support they need. It could lead to high levels of stress and oftentimes students dropping out,” said Ghandour. “This makes it possible to support students in the time they need it most.”

Mary Opperman, vice president for human resources and safety services, and co-chair of the Charter Day Weekend Operations Committee, presented the Emergency CARE Fund check to employees Beth McKinney and Lyndsi Prignon, co-chairs of CARE Fund fundraising committee. The fund supports Cornell employees who experience unexpected financial difficulties.

Opperman explained how the fund has – over the years – helped employees in time of need. “The hallmark of a great community is not how we support one another during easy times, it’s how we support one another during challenging times,” she said.

Gary Stewart, director of community relations, presented the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation check to Susan Currie, the library’s director. The funds for the library, where Charter Day Weekend celebrations kicked off, will be used to help the library respond to growing needs and maintain services such as collections, youth services and cultural programming.