Eastern stands to lose $4.8 million in Monetary Award Program funding next semester, and 2,300 students may be left to figure out how they will pay for their educations.

“I had been planning on, and really hoping, I was going to have that money, I definitely was,” said Drew Behrens, a senior English major. “Now I’m really going to have to budget myself better.”

Behren’s received $1,500 in MAP grant money last semester but did not receive any this semester.

“They told me they would see if there would be enough money, but they ran out,” he said. “I didn’t get on the list quick enough.”

Meagan Geiger-Powell, a senior art major, has already taken out a Parent Plus Loan for $2,100 to cover the loss of her MAP grant in spring.

“It will be my last semester here,” she said. “So I knew exactly how much it was going to cost, and my parents took out a loan.”

Geiger-Powell has taken out $65,000 in student loans to supplement the MAP grant and Pell Grant, a federal income-based grant.

“I looked at all the options available, and decided the Parent Plus Loan was my best option,” she said.

The other options given to her by the financial aid office were a private loan or trying to get into the work-study program.

“I qualify for work-study, but I’m not very high up on the list,” Geiger-Powell said. “The people that are going to get the work study are the ones paying for school completely out of loan money.”

The university is looking to expand its work-study program next semester, but not all MAP grant students will benefit from it.

“Something is going to fall through the cracks,” Geiger-Powell said. “I think it’s going to screw a lot of people over.”

Daniel Dudley, a senior sports management major, lost $2,700 in MAP grant money this semester. His parents are helping him until he receives his student loan money.

“There is paperwork I filled out, but it takes them months to get it all back,” Dudley said. “I’m probably not going to see any money until November for my housing or food or any stuff like that.”

Dudley’s father pays for half his rent and utilities, about $350 a month, and he pays the other half. His tuition is paid with a federal subsidized loan.

“I have money saved up from my summer job,” Dudley said. “I pay half my rent with that, but it’s dwindling.”

Dudley works part-time weekends at the Champaign Park District, near his hometown.

“In order to feed myself, I’m basically sucking money out of my student account for dining dollars, and using that to pay for groceries,” he said. “I’m basically scrounging by right now.”

Dudley isn’t the only one working his way through school. Geiger-Powell works 19 hours a week at Thomas Hall Dining and the University Union Bookstore. During summer session, she also has a work-study job in the art department.

“I’ve been working all four years,” Geiger-Powell said. “I just took on another job last year.”

It’s always been a tight budget, she said.

All three are watching their spending closely this year.

“I’m trying to cut down on how much I go out to eat,” Behrens said. “I try to cook more. Pasta’s generally all I make, but it’s cheap.”

Sarah Ruholl can be reached at 581-7942 or seruholl2@eiu.edu.

Sarah Ruholl can be reached at 581-7942 or at HYPERLINK “mailto:seruholl2@eiu.edu” seruholl2@eiu.edu.