Terrier Supply Closet provides free on-campus inventory for students 

At the beginning of 2020, the Wofford College Office of Student Success announced the opening of the Terrier Supply Closet, a new facility in the bottom of Burwell. .— The room is full of necessities for college students. Any student can use their Wofford identification card to scan into the room and take items they need. Blankets, baby formula, feminine hygiene products, school supplies plus canned goods and other food items are available.  

Along with the basics for college life, gift cards for local pharmacies such as CVS are available if the items in the Supply Closet are not meeting their needs. The Terrier Supply Closet is designed to be a resource for “any student needing assistance.” Students are invited to “take what you need and use what you take.” 

The idea for an on-campus resource for students in need began with Alexis Eaton, ’19. Her interest in food insecurity at Wofford prompted her to work with Professor Rhiannon Leebrick in the sociology department to petition President Samhat for its creation. After Eaton graduated, the Office of Student Success continued and completed the project she envisioned through collaboration between Rev. Ron Robinson, Professor Carol Wilson, Dean Boyce Lawton, Toria Teamer, Professor Leebrick, Rebecca Parrish, James Stukes, Dan Deeter, and students Russ Kibbe ‘21 and Scotdaija Jenkins ’23.  

“I think the underlying motivation on everyone’s part was simply to help students facing financial difficulty, and from a broader perspective, to create a more inviting and equitable campus,” said Boyce Lawton, Dean for Student Success. “High-need students often feel that there is no one else like them on our campus. Many of us are very good at hiding our struggles from even our closest friends.  If you are struggling financially at Wofford, you are not alone and so many of us need for you to know that we want to help.”  

The Terrier Supply Closet is currently in a small room on the first floor of Burwell, but with renovations planned for the near future, the closet will eventually be moved—and, hopefully, expanded. Ideas for future supplies include a freezer for perishable food, a larger selection of interview-appropriate clothing, undergarments, an expanded array of African American hair care products and more gift cards for nearby businesses.  

Donations to the Terrier Supply Closet are welcomed. Currently, the highest-needed items are gift cards in the $10-$20 range to pharmacies within walking distance, grocery stores or local restaurants. Any donations should be sent to Boyce Lawton through the campus mailing system. So far, the closet has been used more than 100 times by students.  

“Our resources will always be limited, but I’m excited to help be a part of a solution to help so many,” says Lawton. 

Along with the closet, there are a number of other on-campus resources that many students may not know about. The McGehee Book Fund, for example, is a grant that can be used by students who need assistance buying textbooks. The Equity Toolkit, a resource for students who are DACA protected and qualify for the Pell Grant, provides funds to use for expenses when taking an unpaid summer internship; OneWofford is also an available resource for students who experience a major life change.  

For more information, contact [email protected].