The Pack Essentials program, launched last fall semester, has been a resource for students who need additional support in terms of food, housing, financial and other insecurities.
According to Assistant Vice Provost and Student Ombuds Mike Giancola, the program is a centralized resource for students in need.
“Basically, there are two main components to [the Pack Essentials program],” Giancola said. “One is the Pack Essentials website, which lists a series of on-campus and some community-based resources to support students. The other is an opportunity to apply for some financial assistance to assist with food, housing or financial security, and that application is on the Pack Essentials website as well.”
According to Giancola, after a student has filled out an application on the Pack Essentials website, the application will then be sent to both Giancola and the Department of Financial Aid, which must review the application to make sure the student is eligible for aid based on federal guidelines.
Serving as the only student ombudsperson on campus, Giancola acts as a confidant for students, using a personalized approach to provide them with resources that NC State offers. He believes that “each situation is unique, and therefore [he works] with the students on a one-on-one basis to figure out what it is that they need.”
“I am a confidential resource for students about any issues they may have, personal or academic,” Giancola said. “Basically, what I do is help the students navigate their experiences at NC State, get connected to resources, maybe help them to put perspective on a situation or determine what their options are in any given situation.”
One of the programs highlighted by Giancola is the PACK Meal Share program, which was started by Student Government in partnership with University Dining and Student Ombuds services. Students already on a meal plan have the opportunity to donate their unused guest swipes to students experiencing food insecurity.
“[This program] is one that the students have been very instrumental in creating and then supporting through their donations,” Giancola said. “There were just over 2,500 meals donated in the fall to help support students. This shows that students are wanting to help support other students.”
Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid Krista Ringler explained that the purpose of the Pack Essentials Program is to provide students with information and assistance.
“The program itself is pretty broad in that it seeks to address the variety of needs that any of our students could come up against during their time here,” Ringler said. “It seeks to provide information and access to students who may be experiencing a need.”
Ringer believes that the assistance provided by these programs allows students to remain enrolled, despite the challenges they may be facing. She also sees the Pack Essentials website as a “place to pool resources together, because since there are so many places that students might seek assistance, it can be overwhelming for them.”
Ringler stressed the importance of the Pack Essentials program as a resource for students, and she encourages students to seek help from the university when a problem arises.
“I absolutely think that anytime a student is in need, it is always hard to ask for help,” Ringler said. “But before they make decisions that may result in them not enrolling, they should absolutely seek out this resource and make contact with either Mr. Giancola or others to see if there is anything that can be done to help them. So often a problem seems insurmountable, and, if you can just find someone to help you over that issue, it is not as large as it seems.”
