TG Updates

TG offers 4th annual lender training

TG will hold its 2008 Lender Workshop for lenders and servicers on January 24, 2008 at the Hilton Austin Airport Hotel in Austin, Texas. The training event offers a forum for learning about the latest regulatory changes affecting higher education. It also focuses on developments with TG's suite of products and services. TG invites interested lenders and servicers to attend the one-day training, which is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. and end around 4 p.m. CST. There is no charge for attending the training.

Participants will hear presentations on a variety of regulatory issues, including the final rules recently issued by ED as well as the new College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA).

In addition, particular sessions will offer a summary of TG's default aversion strategy and prevention efforts with an emphasis on electronic tools, such as the Integrated Default Assistant™. These tools provide a convenient way to track TG cohort default rates and other default-related information.

"Lenders and servicers will find that TG's annual lender training is a great training experience and an opportunity to learn more about our services for them," said Kim Alexander, TG's vice president for customer focus. "At TG, we focus on the priorities of our lender customers, including cohort default management. We offer a default aversion program supported by some effective electronic products. Participants in the workshop will find out how they can use these products and gain some perspective on a variety of other student loan issues."

During the workshop, representatives from TG's operations and policy teams will lead training sessions on:

• Developments and regulatory changes in higher education legislation;
• Strategies for default aversion and delinquency prevention, including electronic tools like the Integrated Default Assistant;
• TG's products and services in development; and
• TG's current financial business profile.

Each session will be led by one or more of TG's trainers and follow a typical workshop format of presentation followed by Q&A.

"At TG, we always look for more ways to serve our customers even better," said Kevin Harris, director of lender relationships. "This lender workshop will provide a showcase for some of TG's latest lender-related initiatives. It will also provide time for lenders to ask questions about issues important to them."

To learn more
Lenders and servicers can find out more about the workshop agenda as well as register for the training by going online to www.tgslc.org/training/lender/index.cfm, or by calling (800) 252-9743, ext. 4507.

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TG to host webinar on reaching first-generation families in the Digital Age

The digital era of instant messaging and other technology is leading college access professionals to adapt new tactics to improve communications with first-generation college students and their families.

To help with that effort, TG is sponsoring a webinar — Reaching First-generation Families in the Digital Age — on Wednesday, January 16, for college access and financial aid professionals. The session, which is offered at no-cost, will be held from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. (CST). Participants must pre-register at https://tgslc.webex.com/tgslc/j.php?ED=104966477&RG=1.

Bryan Taylor, founding president of EduGuide: Partnership for Learning, which is based in Lansing, Mich., will present the findings of a study conducted through a grant from TG. The study, which is focused on first-generation families, considers practical strategies in communicating how to plan, prepare, and pay for higher education.

"Digital Disclosures: What parents, teens, and educators told us about new ways to connect with hard-to-reach families in the Digital Age" was based on a survey of 970 college access professionals, case studies, and data from a survey of teens and parents conducted by the Pew Internet Life and American Life Project. One key finding of the study was that, surprisingly, 80 percent of parents of first-generation college students use the Internet. A free copy of the report is available at www.EduGuide.org.

Participants of the webinar will learn how the digital divide has evolved and what it means for families. They will also learn which key strategies work best for reaching first generation families in the Digital Age, and which to avoid.

A brief question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

Taylor, a first-generation college graduate, is the publisher of EduGuide and Start, of which more than a million copies are distributed annually to college access and financial aid professionals. His work has been recognized by the Public Relations Society of America, the Education Publishers Association, and the National School Public Relations Association.

To learn more
For more information, please call (800) 252-9743, ext. 4518.

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With help from a TG grant, Northeast Lakeview College and Judson ISD join to create a "college connection" for students

Charting a path from high school to college isn't easy even for students with the best resources in information and family support. The process holds particular difficulties for first-generation students — those first in their family to go to college — or for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. To break down the barriers these students face, some high schools and colleges forge partnerships — associations that offer students help in preparing for college and even serve to create a "college-going culture" in high school.

Here's one example of this kind of partnership which TG enthusiastically supports with a grant from its Public Benefit Grant Program. Judson Independent School District (ISD), just north of San Antonio, Texas, and Northeast Lakeview College (NLC) have implemented a college-track series of workshops, seminars, and even a campus tour that aims to increase the college-going rate among seniors from three area high schools.

The program, called "College Connection: Making Dreams a Reality", provides students with hands-on support for each step in applying to college. All seniors are required to attend pre-college seminars, which guide them through the college enrollment process as well as teach the fundamentals of financial aid. They'll broaden their career perspectives in a series of workshops that spotlight particular careers. They'll find out how to research scholarship opportunities. And, to help ensure a direct path to college, over 140 seniors will be awarded scholarships to attend NLC.

Making tangible the rewards of college
According to program administrator Martha Trevino, the "College Connection" project works to instill the aspiration to go to college in those most vulnerable to dropping out of school. It also equips them with the skills to ensure their success once in college.

"Unfortunately, a number of recent graduates come to college without the necessary preparation to enroll in college-level courses," said Martha. "This becomes a frustration for students as they try to complete developmental courses before enrolling in college-level courses. To help with this, we offer a Pre-College Academic Camp, which provides two-weeks of instruction for students who need some scholastic remediation. These students will attend instruction during the summer and receive instruction from college faculty experienced in teaching developmental courses."

Other workshops help demystify completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and offer mentoring on a variety of other college-going topics, including transferring from a two-year campus to a university. One of the objectives of such a comprehensive program is to construct a high school culture that validates going to college and that sets up an expectation among students that college is the "next step", says Martha. The rewards for the Judson ISD should be considerable.

All 1,022 Judson ISD seniors will be served by the project. Over 80 percent will attend workshops and trainings. Families of students will learn through their children about the opportunities offered by NLC. And finally, local communities will reap rewards as more underrepresented students get a degree and become professionals in the local workforce.

About TG's Public Benefit Award Program
To receive funds, organizations were required to submit proposals that addressed the issue of access to postsecondary education and that focused on the needs of first-generation college students, students from high schools with low college-going rates, and/or students who are underrepresented in higher education. Application materials for 2008-09 will be available on or before January 25, 2008.

To learn more
If you'd like to learn more about TG's Public Benefit Grant Program, you'll find a description of its purpose and process on TG Online at www.tgslc.org/publicbenefit/index.cfm.

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