Several Project Wildcat counselors are creating a new financial aid fund to allow more incoming students to participate in the pre-orientation program.

Communication junior Aileen McGraw, a PWild counselor, and others will begin raising money for the fund, unofficially called the “Camper Financial Aid Fund,” during Philfest on Saturday.

McGraw said she has been working to start the fund since Winter Quarter because many prospective students asked during Wildcat Days if there was financial aid given to students for pre-orientation programs.

“This is a question that comes up every year during Wildcat Days, at least for me,” McGraw said. “‘Do these pre-orientation programs offer financial aid?’ The answer is yes, and I think this a great way to make sure that our counselor body knows why and what we’re saying yes to, so no incoming student doubts their ability, financial or otherwise, to experience (PWild).”

McGraw said she wants the fundraising efforts to be activity-based during Philfest, adding that the effort includes many PWild counselors. During the event, counselors will be selling make-your-own trail mix and PWild merchandise with the proceeds going toward the fund.

The Center for Student Involvement works with the Office of Financial Aid to accommodate students for pre-orientation trips, said Andrea Bell, the student community service coordinator at CSI. She said when students apply for aid, the financial aid office ranks them by need and communicates to CSI who qualifies so the individual programs can incorporate financial aid into their budgets.

“We don’t want finances to be a reason that any student is not able to participate in a program,” Bell said, “So if there are gaps or areas that we can supplement, we try to do what we can to provide additional assistance.”

Storm Heidinger, a member of PWild’s steering committee, the organization’s executive board, said last year PWild tried to fully or partially waive the cost of the trip, where the group’s budget allowed, for students who applied for but did not receive financial aid.

“For individuals who don’t get approved for aid from the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid, we do our best to look at the need and our budget and accommodate the cost of the trip for them,” the Weinberg junior said.

He said the new fund would allow PWild to offer even more aid for incoming students.

Heidinger said PWild’s $350 cost is more expensive than other pre-Wildcat Welcome trips due to transportation costs and the length of the trip.

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