Scots’ Supplies provides resources to Maryville College students in need
March 30, 2022
The doors were opened to Scots’ Supplies for the first time on Wednesday, giving Maryville College students in need another resource for support.
Scots’ Supplies, located on the third floor of MC’s Bartlett Hall (across from the elevator in the former Commuter Lounge), is an open-access resource space for students to obtain no-cost items such as career clothing, personal hygiene products and other donated goods. For the remainder of the Spring Semester, Scots’ Supplies will be open from noon to 5 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Scots’ Supplies is designed to help Maryville College students who may have pressing needs from financial insecurity or those who have no access to off-campus transportation. According to a 2020 national study by the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice at Temple University, nearly 3 out of 5 college students experience basic needs insecurities. Results of similar studies indicate that basic needs insecurities disproportionately affect marginalized students and are associated with long work hours.
The goal of Scots’ Supplies is to mitigate some of those insecurities for MC students as much as possible, according to Dr. Melanie V. Tucker, Vice President and Dean of Students and Chief Diversity Officer.
“If students are looking for something that’s not available within Scots’ Supplies, we will have resource request cards available for students to confidentially complete,” she said. “If we’re able to assist, we will.”
Student Outreach and Support Specialist Joy Starbird is the administrator of Scots’ Supplies, which gratefully accepts donations from the public. Current supplies like feminine hygiene products were supplied through a generous gift to the College; razors and oral care items were donated by the nonprofit organization Remote Area Medical (RAM). Much of the clothing items — including a number of dress pants, shirts, dresses and even blazers, all designed to help students dress for job interviews and internship opportunities — are donated by staff and faculty members.
Members of the public, Starbird added, are encouraged to contact her if they would like to contribute to Scots’ Supplies.
“We’ll accept clothing items from the public, as long as they’re clean; professional clothing as well; and personal hygiene items,” Starbird says. “RAM provided us with a nice assortment of items, but we can always use more. Items can be left in the room during the times it is open, and I will get them sorted, or they can email me to arrange a time for drop-off outside of the open hours.”
Of particular need: Grocery store shopping bags in which supplies can be distributed.
Students who wish to inquire about Scots’ Supplies can email mccares@maryvillecollege.edu. Members of the public who wish to donate items can email Maryville College Student Affairs student.affairs@maryvillecollege.edu.
