Melissa D. Tonn Emergency Fund Aids Students Aging out of Foster Care

Dr. Melissa Tonn teaches population health as a clinical assistant professor at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin and serves as an occupational medicine physician in Dallas. In addition, Dr. Melissa Tonn is the vice chair of the Board of Regents of Texas Woman’s University, where she established the Melissa D. Tonn Emergency Fund  for adults aging out of the foster care system.

Students aging out of the foster care system can encounter unexpected financial problems and life circumstances that make it difficult to continue to finance their education. The Emergency Fund offers financial assistance to these students, provided they meet all program requirements and remain in good academic standing. Qualifying emergencies range from homelessness and inadequate food supplies to significant uncovered medical expenses and cutoff of necessary utilities.

To qualify, students must be currently registered for at least nine credit hours and either plan to enroll or already be enrolled in the semester following their request for aid. In addition, they must provide documentation of the emergency. Funds do not cover routine expenses, and approved recipients receive emergency funding only once per academic year.

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