Emergency Medical Fund

Goal of the Emergency Medical Fund

The purpose of this fund is to aid graduate students in the Natural Resources departments and the Ecology Center facing financial hardships due to medical expenses. Starting in 2025, the fund started by the former S.J. Quinney College of Natural Resources will shift toward using up its remaining funds on EMF requests from graduate students in the WILD and ENVS departments and the Ecology Center, while a new fund will begin fundraising to service graduate students from the ENTIRE S.J. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources starting in Fall 2026.

History of the Emergency Medical Fund

The Natural Resources Emergency Medical Fund was established by Tammy Wilson, a doctoral student in the Department of Wildland Resources at Utah State University. In September 2005, Tammy was seriously injured while riding a bicycle. She broke her back and surgery was required to repair the injury. Many friends within the college began raising money to help pay her medical costs. Fortunately, Tammy’s medical care was covered by Workers Compensation. The money raised to cover Tammy’s medical expenses ($3,725.48) was instead donated, establishing the Emergency Medical Fund. Fundraising efforts since 2005 have supplemented these initial funds. Students with outstanding medical debt that imposes a financial burden are eligible for assistance from the fund.  This is the fund that will continue to service students in the Ecology Center, Wildland Resources, and Environment and Society until funds are used up. 

Beginning in Fall 2026, the new graduate student council of the S.J. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources is initiating a new Quinney College Graduate Student Emergency Medical Fund that will provide funds for all graduate students in the college and the Ecology Center, which will be fundraised from a variety of upcoming events.

Requirements of the Emergency Medical Fund

1. The NR Emergency Medical Fund is currently available to graduate students in the ENVS and WILD departments or graduate students in the Ecology Center in good standing with their respective colleges, departments, and, if applicable, the Ecology Center.The new Quinney College Emergency Medical Fund will be available to graduate students in all Quinney College departments or graduate students in the Ecology Center in good standing with their respective colleges, departments, and, if applicable, the Ecology Center.
2. There is no limit to the amount of funding that may be administered to cover medical expenses, though amounts are limited by funds available in the EMF account. Expenses may include, but are not limited to: medical bills, medications, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological counseling, transportation for treatment, housing during treatment or other expenses associated with complete recovery. Medical expenses incurred are defined broadly to include spouses, partnerships, and/or declared dependents. Students in financially dependent partnerships (married or relationships where partners depend on one another financially) must disclose the partnership’s total annual income in the application.
3. To be eligible, medical expenses must be incurred while enrolled as a graduate student in one of the departments in the Quinney College (ADVS, ARE, ASTE, AVTE, ENVS, LAEP, NDFS, PSC, MNR, WEES, and WILD) or the Ecology Center. The application for this scholarship must be submitted within one year of the diagnosis as stated on the applicant’s first medical bill. A person is still eligible if they have graduated and all of the above conditions have been met. However, the new income of the graduate will be taken into consideration. Students with pre-existing conditions that meet the above criteria also qualify for this fund.
4. Applicants are permitted to file multiple applications originating from separate and unrelated medical claims. Additionally, applicants are permitted to submit applications for previously considered or awarded claims for additional expenses incurred while a student. Applications for previously considered or awarded claims must be adjusted to reflect current financial expenses and will not include costs that have already been paid. Successful applications from students in the ENVS and WILD departments or the Ecology Center will be fulfilled from the NR EMF while funds remain, while all other successful applications will be fulfilled from the new Quinney College EMF.
5. If an applicant is injured while on campus, while working in their student/Research Assistantship/university staff role, or at a university-sponsored event, they should apply to Workers Comp before applying to the EMF. Katelyn Richins can help students with this process.

Required Application Documents

Potential recipients submit an application, detailing their medical and financial situation (found here). Additional required documents to submit along with the application include: 

1. Most recent W-2 (if applicant is a first-year graduate student, provide a university contract and all previous pay stubs) and claims of additional income;
2. Finalized insurance claims (including explanation of benefits);
3. Itemized medical bills and completed Itemized Bill Spreadsheet;
4. Letter submitted to insurance company for financial assistance and response from insurance company;
5. Other receipts documenting expenses (e.g., child care expenses during recovery) the applicant considers relevant to explain the situation. Receipts should be presented with an explanation of their relevance to the claim. Consideration of these expenses in the final allocated amount are subject to the discretion of the review committee. 
6. Applicants must include all relevant information regarding medical expenses; any sensitive information will be redacted according to HIPAA compliance.  

EMF Process

1. Applications must be submitted to USU’s Insurance Coordinator, currently Katelyn Richins (see contact information below), within one year of the diagnosis as stated on the applicant’s first medical bill. Contact Katelyn to coordinate submitting an application.
2. Completed applications will be reviewed a committee consisting of members of the Quinney College Graduate Student Council. Funding decisions will be decided by group consensus. The QANR Associate Dean for Graduate Studies will approve the funding amount. The committee reserves the right to request additional information from the applicant.
3. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted, and applicants should expect a response within 2 weeks of submission of all required documents. The funding amount administered will depend on the funds available.

Katelyn Richins
Email: katelyn.richins@usu.edu 
Phone: (435) 797-3505

Forms and example documents

EMF Application
EMF Description and requirements
Financial Assistance Letter Template
Itemized hospital bill example
Office visit bill example

Quinney Graduate Student Homepage