Granite Edvance donates $100,000 to student emergency aid programs within the University System of New Hampshire

Nonprofit has gifted $200,000 to USNH emergency funds since 2025

Concord, NH – Granite Edvance recently donated $100,000 to student aid funds within the University System of New Hampshire, building on an initial gift of $100,000 in 2025. The funds will assist undergraduate students at the University of New Hampshire, Keene State College, and Plymouth State University with short-term, non-academic expenses such as housing, transportation, and medical needs.  

“Since we made our first donation to student aid funds two years ago, we’ve heard powerful stories of these funds making a meaningful difference for students,” said Granite Edvance President and CEO Christiana Thornton. “We want to ensure students continue to get the support they need to stay enrolled, complete their degrees, and move toward the futures they’ve worked so hard to build.” 

The additional funding will support student emergency aid efforts already in place across the University System. Emergency funding can help students cover a wide range of needs, including food, transportation, housing costs, medical expenses, and textbooks.  

 “The stress of unexpected expenses, even small ones, can hit college students especially hard, as many of them have made financial sacrifices to invest in their future goals,” said Catherine Provencher, Chancellor of the University System of New Hampshire. “These donations will reduce that stress for hundreds of students and help them stay on track.” 

 College staff who administer the funds say the aid has played a critical role for students. At UNH, for example, the funds recently helped a student who was facing eviction, a student who needed transportation back to their residence hall following an evening class at a different school, and a first-generation student whose carefully planned budget took a hit when their textbook fees were more than expected.  

 “It is so difficult to ask for help, so stigmatizing and can leave students feeling quite vulnerable,” said Patty Mathison, Basic Needs Coordinator and Case Manager at UNH. “I see the very palpable relief on a student’s face when I’m able to support them.”  

 Requests for financial assistance are usually modest, but it’s challenging to cover them all, said Diana Daigle, Assistant Director of Community Impact and Campus Connection at Plymouth State University. With Granite Edvance’s support, “We’re able to say ‘yes’ more often, and we are so grateful for that,” she said.  

 Marney Buss, Dean of Students at Keene State College, agreed. “I don’t know how we’d do any of what we’re able to do without this funding,” she said. 

Granite Edvance, a statewide nonprofit that helps students and families plan and pay for college and career training, has donated $380,000 to student emergency aid funds in the Community College System of New Hampshire and the University System of New Hampshire since February 2024. In total, 382 students have been supported by these funds. Additionally, Granite Edvance donated $2,000 to each of the three food pantries at UNH, Keene State, and Plymouth State earlier this year.  

“In keeping with our mission, we’re always looking for ways to promote student success and address the obstacles that students face,” Thornton said. “We’re grateful to our partners around the state who are helping students access education, stay on track, and reach their goals, and we’re pleased to support them in this critical work.” 

About Granite Edvance 

Granite Edvance is a New Hampshire nonprofit that supports New Hampshire students and their families through free career and higher-education counseling and resources, as well as through funding assistance including scholarships and competitive private student loans. Established in 1962, the organization rebranded as Granite Edvance in November 2023. Granite Edvance Corporation offers private student loan products, including the Granite Edvance Student Loan, the EdvestinU Private Student Loan, the Granite Edvance Refinance Loan, the EdvestinU Refinance Loan, and the Granite Edvance Parent Loan. Loans offered by Granite Edvance Corporation may be funded by Granite Edvance Corporation or Bank of Lake Mills, member FDIC.   

  About the University System of New Hampshire  

The University System of New Hampshire enrolls 25,000 students and consists of three public institutions: Keene State College, Plymouth State University, and the University of New Hampshire. USNH strives to ensure the availability of high quality, affordable and accessible higher educational opportunities throughout New Hampshire and attracts, equips, and retains critical members of the state workforce. A 28-member Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the University System.