CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — It might only be her second week of classes, but Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi freshman Emily Sterling already is reaping the benefits of the CARES Act.
"We have great Wifi," she said. "I love it. Wifi even at the apartments is great. And everything’s sanitized. Everything’s clean."
Wireless internet for online learning, and sanitized, and socially distanced buildings for on-campus classes are two of the ways TAMU-CC is spending federal CARES Act funding that Sen. John Cornyn helped secure to aid in COVID-19 recovery.
While the senator thanked doctors, nurses, and other hospital workers at CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Shoreline for their efforts in fighting the novel coronavirus Monday, the entities that received CARES Act money thanked him.
“You have literally given a lifeline to the Island University in the midst of an unprecedented crisis," TAMU-CC President and CEO Kelly Miller said.
The CARES Act provided over $160 million to Corpus Christi, Nueces County, CHRISTUS Spohn, and several other local entities.
TAMU-CC received slightly more than $10 million from the CARES Act, and the Corpus Christi Independent School District received a little bit more.
“We really want to say 'thank you' for this assistance," said CCISD spokeswoman Leanne Libby to Cornyn at Monday's news conference. "It means a lot.”
While receiving gratitude for this first round of federal assistance, Cornyn also spoke of future aid.
“There is more we need to do," he said. "But first, I think we need to look at what we’ve already done -- see how that’s working, and what’s not working, so we can come back and deal with this in an ongoing basis.”
For Sterling, additional COVID-19 protections would be icing on the cake for her freshman year that's off to a positive start.
“It’s been pretty good," she said. "I’m not going to lie.”