Dear Odyssey Scholars,
While you have received a number of messages over the past week providing information and support, we wanted to take the opportunity to acknowledge the unique challenges many of you are facing. We recognize the pressure you face while making arrangements to go home or stay in Hyde Park, and figuring out how to manage your life in a different way moving forward. We hope you have access to whatever support network is most helpful to you at this moment, whether that is your family, friends, mentors, counselors, or fellow Odyssey Scholars. Please know that the administrators working closest to the Odyssey Scholarship Program are also a source of support for you during these extraordinary times.
To that end, we would like to outline resources available to you as Odyssey Scholars.
PERSONAL AND CAREER SUPPORT
CCSS staff will continue to provide one-on-one advising through online and phone appointments. They are also working on additional ways to keep students in the Odyssey Scholar community connected and engaged throughout the spring quarter. Odyssey Career advisers will continue to provide students with personalized support through virtual and/or phone appointments. Students who are anticipating their Jeff Metcalf Grant for Odyssey Scholars will receive their grant stipends if they are on or off campus during spring quarter.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Financial Aid will be providing you a $1,500 advance on your Spring Quarter financial aid to assist with costs you may incur during the transition. The Bursar’s Office will have these funds available to you early the week of March 16 via direct deposit if you are already enrolled. If you have additional costs or your upcoming travel costs exceed the $1,500 advance, please visit: https://bursar.uchicago.edu/emergency-assistance-programs/ for information on emergency funding options. If you are in need of a laptop or internet access, please visit the CCSS website at: https://collegesurveys.uchicago.edu/ccss-laptop-request.
More information can be found on the Office of Financial Aid’s FAQs page. If you have additional questions, please reach out to the following contacts:
Financial Aid: college-aid@uchicago.edu
Career Advancement: Nelida Garcia, nelidagarcia@uchicago.edu
Center for College Student Success: Devon Moore, devonmoore@uchicago.edu
For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus, visit https://coronavirusupdates.uchicago.edu/. We are here for you throughout this new journey. Please reach out if you have any questions or if there are other ways we can be a resource to you during this time.
Sincerely,
Jay Ellison, PhD
Dean of Students in the College