DRYDEN, N.Y. (WHCU) – Nursing students at TC3 are getting a little help toward finishing their degrees.

A $10,000 donation has established the Mary Porcari Brady Emergency Nursing Fund at the college. The money will help students with unexpected expenses that come up while pursuing their nursing degree.

Nursing Program chair Kimberly Sharp says they frequently lose students in good academic standing for financial reasons.

“Nursing students typically have very busy lives with multiple responsibilities,” said Sharp. “This fund will allow us to help any nursing student with an emergency need to be able to complete the program and become a nurse. We know how great the need for nurses is in our community. As an educator and a member of the community, I am deeply grateful to the Mary Porcari Brady family for this donation.”

The Mary Porcari Brady Fund was first established in 2001 by her surviving children and now assists nursing students at four different community colleges in New York. Porcari Brady was a nurse for nearly three decades and spent part of her career at Cortland Memorial Hospital.

“Our mom loved living in Cortland County and working as an RN at Cortland Memorial Hospital,” said Mary’s eldest surviving child, Jinny Porcari Keough. “We are thrilled to support Tompkins Cortland Community College and provide assistance to help student nurses meet unexpected expenses that might derail their education.”

School officials say the fund will have no administrative or overhead costs and 100% all contributions will go directly to nursing students.