Frederick Community College has announced it is forgiving debt accrued by nearly 350 students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
“We know many of our students have faced significant struggles during the ongoing pandemic, including financial challenges,” said Dr. Thomas Powell, interim president of FCC. “We are grateful to be able to offer this debt relief to help students recover from the pandemic and get back on track with their academic and career goals.”
 
In total, FCC is forgiving a combined $222,000 of debt. The college is covering this debt with money from the federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). HEERF, established and initially funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, is available to institutions of higher education to help students continue to learn during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
“We looked closely at how these funds could be best utilized and felt we had an obligation to make sure it helped students in a very direct and tangible way,” said Dr. Cathy Jones, FCC vice president for finance and human resources. “Offering debt relief is a testament to FCC’s commitment to serving our students and the community.”
 
Students will receive a letter from the College if they meet the criteria for this debt forgiveness. To be eligible, students must have been enrolled at FCC between March 13, 2020 and June 30, 2021.
 
Joseph Chmielarski is one of the students whose debt has been cleared. He moved out of his parents’ house to live on his own right before the start of the pandemic. Over the last year, he has lost his job, started working 40 to 50 hours a week at a restaurant, and had to travel numerous times out of the state to help his family when relatives fell ill with COVID-19.
 
“I’ve spent the last year just trying to stay afloat and work enough to cover all my bills,” Joseph Chmielarski said. “FCC literally saved me with this assistance. It’s incredible how they have stepped up and taken care of their students.”
 
If students have questions about this debt forgiveness, they can contact Jane Beatty at [email protected].
 
About HEERF Funding
The total award of the Frederick Community College Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund for Institutional use is $7,802,673 which is 100% funded by the US Department of Education.