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"If you're a St John's alum, you're always part of the St. John's family. And we never want to forget that," said Robert Wile, Vice President of Advancement, St John's University.

And to help that 'family' in need, the University is launching a new program that cuts graduate school tuition in half for all alumni who've been laid off in the last six months.

"By offering them a 50 percent discount on graduate education, we felt that we were giving them an opportunity to maybe change their career course, or maybe come back and reevaluate where they wanted to go, their future endeavors," said Wile.

The savings amounts to between $15,000 and $25,000.

While the Alumni Assistance Program doesn't include the Law School, it does apply to every other degree program, including certificates, and begins this upcoming Spring semester. It will be open again for those enrolling in summer session.

At that point, the Queens university said it will reevaluate the program and the current economic climate to see if it needs to be continued.

"St John's is deeply rooted in its Vencentian mission, and that mission is to help those that are in need. Right now, we see that our alums are in need of our service, and we hope we can be with them every step of the way," said Wile.

The tuition discount lasts for two years, and university officials said that's the average time it takes to earn a graduate degree.

The goal is to get grad students back out into the workforce as soon as possible. Alumni struggling to find work can also get help at the school's career center, where counselors provide job leads, networking opportunities and resume assistance.

Wile said the career and assistance programs were simply a sign of the times. St. John's, he said, is being hit by the recession, just like every other institution, which trickles down to the undergrads.

"Our students are very concerned about the economy. About 41 percent of our students are in the PELL-eligible category, which is a government category serving those in most need. Our students are concerned that they're not going to get the loans they need to go to school," said Wile.

For more information on the Alumni Assistance program or some of the upcoming information sessions, visit www.stjohns.edu.