The recent death of Xiaohui Xia, a Penn State graduate student, has given the Graduate Student Association (GSA) its first chance to use its newly formed bereavement fund.

The fund, an ongoing GSA project, was created to help provide financial support for graduate student families in the case of a death.

Although the bereavement fund was not in effect at the time of Xia's death last Tuesday, the GSA decided to advance the date to make her family eligible, GSA President Brian Borawski said.

Xiaomin Xia, Xiaohui's sister, said her family is grateful for all of the support and donations from the Penn State community.

"Money cannot compensate for my sister's life," Xiaomin said. "But maybe I can give my mother a better life."

Xia's mother is terminally ill and could not make the trip from China for memorial services.

Xiaomin said she intends to use the donations to help with the hospital and funeral expenses and to help her family.

Borawski said GSA began collecting funds after Xia's death and currently has about $200 from five donors.

He said money is still being donated to the bereavement fund, and he is not worried about the small total because most of the donations were directed to the Chinese Friendship Association.

"People haven't forgotten about [the fund]," Borawski said.

The Chinese Friendship Association President Jianfeng Guo said the association has collected about $20,000 for Xia's family and hopes that it will help to cover most of the expenses.

"The police report hasn't been released, so we have no idea what the bill is going to be and what the other expenses will be," he said. "We will just continue our efforts."

Guo said the Chinese Friendship Association appreciates GSA's effort and hopes to communicate with the association soon.

Borawski said he recommends Xia's family to wait until more money is raised before they apply for the funds -- the bylaws allow the families or International Student Services (ISS) 120 days after the death to apply.

"Whenever they need money they can apply, and we'll give them everything we have," he said.

ISS can also apply for the money on behalf of the families because of possible language, political and cultural barriers that may exist between the GSA and the bereaved families.

Borawski said that if the fund contains less than $2,000, the applicants will receive everything, and if there is more money available it will be distributed accordingly --$5,000 is the maximum donation a family can receive from the bereavement fund.

Although there are no specific requirements for the money's use, the GSA hopes that the funds are being used in relation to the person's death and prohibits unlawful and government use of the financial aid.

"We send them a check and hope they use it right," Borawski said.

The GSA bereavement fund was initiated by Borawski to help graduate students and their families after a death because he said he felt the university insurance plans did not sufficiently cover post-death expenses.

Penn State offers two insurance plans to graduate students: the basic Student Accident and Sickness Insurance Plan and the Graduate Assistant and Graduate Fellow Health Insurance Plan. Neither provide life insurance, but the plans do finance the preparation of the body for international students.

Manager of student insurance Karen Kline said Xia was covered by one of two available insurance plans, but she could not release which one.

"She did have an insurance plan through the university," Kline said. "Her body is being returned back to China."