Educational assistance programs for students discussed, financial aid is focus.
Joe Douglas
-Editor-in-Chief-
On Wednesday, Aug. 11, Missouri Representative Russ Carnahan garnered the attention of STLCC-Meramec students, faculty and staff to announce a number of new educational assistance programs for students.
“As we have worked through so many issues through the last year, the deepest and longest recession we’ve had in generations, one of the ways we can emerge from this recession stronger than before is investments in higher education,” Carnahan said.
Carnahan said that he needed student loans to attend and graduate from college.
“This is personal to me but also, you know, I’m living proof.”
Carnahan spoke about four initiatives that Congress is working to incorporate into college students’ academic lives in order to make college education more affordable. The first: reduced interest rates for federal student loans.
“Last year, the interest rate dropped down to 5.6 percent and it is on course to continue dropping until it gets down to 3.4 percent in 2011,” Carnahan said.
A loan forgiveness program is also available for students graduating with degrees in public service. Students who graduated to become nurses, fire fighters, police officers, social workers and other non-profit positions and remain working in these fields for at least 10 years will have their student loans wiped clean.
“Knowing my $2,000 in loans will be forgiven, I’m grateful now and even in 10 years from now I’ll be more grateful,” said Aaron Jennings, who graduated from Washington University’s Brown School of Social Work in May 2009. Jennings is now manager of Urban Education Initiatives at the Brown School.
In addition, the maximum Pell Grant award has been raised to $5,550 for the 2010-2011 academic year. The 2009-2010 academic year was also the first time Pell Grant was available year-round, giving students access to Pell in the summer.
Carnahan said the maximum award will continue to increase and reach almost $6,000 by 2017.
“There are 139,000 Missouri Pell Grant scholars that are going to get more help affording their tuition thanks to annual increases in the maximum Pell Grant,” Carnahan said.
Kate Cowen, a Webster University student entering her junior year, said she received $1,600 last year from Pell, and $3,100 this year.
“I would’ve had to take on a full-time job or the possibility of switching schools. I’ll be able to graduate Webster University with a good grade point average because I was able to concentrate on my studies instead of working.”
The TEACH (Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education) Grant is also available for students seeking to teach after college.
To receive assistance, students must teach for at least four years within eight years after graduation, be a “highly qualified teacher,” work at a school servicing low-income students, and teach a high-need field, according to TEACH Grant’s website at http://teach-ats.ed.gov.
“The TEACH Grant was really helpful for me because it provided me with at least half of my tuition paid for each semester. I graduated with high honors and was able to serve in the community where I’m needed,” said Camille Simmons, who graduated in December 2009 from University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Lastly, the new Chapter 33 GI bill is designed for those who have fought in the post-9/11 war. The bill provides veterans who have held 1.5 to 36 months of duty with a number of benefits based on the length of duty.
“I graduated high school at limited means, couldn’t afford college,” said James Brown, a Meramec student who has been in the army for 10 years, working through the Missouri Army National Guard.
The GI bill can cover up to 100 percent of tuition and fees, $1,000 per year in books and supplies, and provide other benefits.
“[Veterans] don’t have to worry about how they’re going to pay for, you know, the tuition expenses and books and everything else,” Brown said.
Brown said he has fought in places like Samarra and Mosul, Iraq. Upon honorable discharge this year, Brown said he will be attending Meramec this fall semester and will ultimately be pursuing his Bachelors of Science in Nursing.
“A college education, we all know, is a key to a better life for so many families in Missouri and across the country. Now there is more help than ever before to realize that dream,” Carnahan said.
