Peg Cornwell partners with Dining Services, supports students

During the last two weeks of January, sales from Peg Cornwell’s Famous Cookies raised $552 for the Student Emergency Fund, which assists students with emergency expenses.

The Advancement Office established the Student Emergency Fund as a resource for students who are unable to meet essential expenses due to temporary hardships, said Leon Hayner, dean of students. In fall 2020, Rollins gave $67,000 in student emergency aid.

This year, administration received over 200 emergency fund applicants from students in CLA, Holt, and Crummer schools, many related to COVID-19.

“We have heard first-hand from students that, without this funding, they might not have been able to continue with their time at Rollins,” said Hayner.

The fundraising idea for Cornwell’s Famous Cookies emerged during Fall 2020’s Family Weekend, when Dining Services was working on making packages for students and parents.

“When we saw the need for the student emergency, we connected it to Family Weekend, and Peg was gracious enough to let Dining Services use her recipe again for the Student Emergency Fund,” said Cristina Cabanilla, director of Dining Services.

The recipe is for chocolate chip cookies. Cornwell is open to the idea of experimenting with a gluten-free recipe so that students with gluten allergies are able to try her cookies and add to the Student Emergency Fund.

Dining Services plans to sell the cookies at the end of every month. They will be sold at retail locations around campus, including the C-store, Bush Cafe, Bookmark Cafe, and Cornell Cafe. All profits will continue to support the Student Emergency Fund.

Dining Services will also sell the cookies during alumni weekend.

“We know that a lot of alumni will be willing to donate, and it will not be so much for getting the cookies, but for the actual cause, which is donating the money to the emergency fund,” said Carolina Ossa, Dining Services marketing manager. Dining Services will receive the cookie orders and ship them directly to donors.

“At the moment, we are committed to do it for the rest of the semester,” said Cabanilla. “Based on the needs of the funds, we will continue to do it in any way possible.”