Be part of CSP's response to COVID-19

When Concordia St. Paul announced March 12 that all courses would move online during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of you reached out to ask how you could help.

The Barnabas Fund was established in 2009 by the President's Advisory Council to help when students had an unexpected emergency that might prevent them from finishing school. We reinstate it as needed during times of significantly increased need.

As Barnabas shared his wealth by laying it at the apostles' feet to be distributed to anyone in need (ACTS 4:37), please join Concordia’s efforts to address the immediate needs of students experiencing hardship as a result of COVID-19.

While there is no way yet to calculate the full impact of COVID-19 on the CSP community, it has already disrupted the lives of our students significantly—sowing uncertainty in students’ lives by creating challenges and financial crises. With limited income from on- and off-campus positions, increased food expenses, unexpected housing costs, restricted travel, and potential isolation, this pandemic has fostered insecurity as students face these challenges—many for the first time.

It is important to note that this situation impacts all of our students, regardless of age or degree type:

• Traditional students have moved online and are now facing the need to ensure they have adequate technology to stay connected to their courses
• Adult students, like many others, may be dealing with reduced income and families to support

By helping meet their immediate needs, the Barnabas Fund can give students the ability to overcome the problematic setbacks COVID-19 poses.

The impact of your gift

A gift to the Barnabas Fund lets CSP students know that we have their backs and offers timely financial help that can lead to peace of mind and academic success.

Charitable donations like yours entirely support this fund, and any amount helps us meet time-sensitive needs. Your gift can provide a student with a $500 grant towards their outstanding tuition balance, which can help lighten the load for other areas of their lives. The financial aid office will distribute these funds as donations are received. We've set our initial goal at $50,000, which will assist 100 students; This is a start towards helping our students in great need, but we recognize there will likely be need beyond this goal.

The goal of the Barnabas Fund is to help students persist to graduation without interruption and will ensure we get through these times together. Please give and spread the word about this critical effort.  

A Prayer from President Friedrich

Dear Jesus,

Our lives and time are in your hands.  In your Word you remind us that even the very hairs on our head are numbered and known to our Heavenly Father.  That is how much you care about us.  In these uncertain and challenging times, we ask you to surround us with your love, mercy and peace.  As the faculty and staff of CSP continue to serve and equip our students for “thoughtful and informed living, for dedicated service to God and humanity, for enlightened care of God’s creation, all within the context of the Christian Gospel,” we pray that you would work in the hearts of our alumni and friends and move them to support generously the basic and essential needs of our students.  You have given us all that we are and possess.  Use us to be your hands, feet and voices to encourage with our words, actions and gifts those students in great need today.

In your Name and for your sake we pray.  Amen.

For more information about Concordia University, St. Paul's response to COVID-19, visit https://www.csp.edu/covid19/