Benedictine University has received a grant of $188,683 from the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s FY2026 Ending Student Housing Insecurity (ESHI) Program. The funding will support a new initiative aimed at expanding housing, food, and transportation assistance for students facing insecurity.

The project, named “Bridging the Gap: Ending Student Housing Insecurity at Benedictine University and Beyond,” is designed to help students overcome barriers to academic success. It will provide emergency housing grants, year-round housing during academic breaks, food and transportation vouchers, and personalized benefits navigation for those experiencing housing instability.

In collaboration with the College of DuPage (COD), the program will serve both BenU and COD students throughout DuPage County. COD is Benedictine’s largest transfer partner. Through this partnership, eligible students from both institutions will have access to emergency and break housing, financial aid, and educational workshops about housing rights and public benefit programs.

According to Benedictine University, “The initiative directly supports IBHE’s ‘A Thriving Illinois’ strategic plan, advancing equity, retention, and degree completion for first-generation, low-income, and housing-insecure students. Funds will support emergency housing grants for students, staff support for benefits navigation, and basic-needs education for more than 100 students across both campuses.”