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TG Updates
TG's FAFSA program available to schools and community organizations
TG is again making available to schools and community organizations The FAFSA-Made-Easy, a video program to help students and families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The free program, which is offered in English and Spanish, will be provided to higher education institutions as well as high schools, libraries, community outreach groups, and faith-based organizations. They in turn will offer it to the students and families they serve. The FAFSA must be completed by students who are applying for any type of federal and most state financial aid, including student loans, grants, scholarships, and Work Study.
Schools and organizations can register to be host site coordinators to show the The FAFSA-Made-Easy video at local community events. Host site coordinators can register at TG's public service Web site, Adventures In Education, located at www.aie.org/FAFSAMadeEasy.
After registering, host site coordinators will be mailed a promotional packet that includes posters, flyers, sign-up sheets, and other materials to promote the programs. DVDs of the program will be included in the packet for viewing as early as February 1.
"This will allow host site coordinators to schedule the program at a time and place that is most convenient to the students and families they serve," said Richard Sapp, TG's director of pre-college success. "The program may also be broadcast over public access and school district television outlets."
To learn more
For more information, contact Richard at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2865, or send an e-mail message to richard.sapp@tgslc.org.
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TG helps students and families with planned workshops and trainings for Financial Aid Awareness Month
Each year in February — also known as Financial Aid Awareness Month — TG joins with financial aid professionals around the country as they spread the word about financial aid and help students on that first step to receiving aid — completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Success in this work often hinges on making that personal connection with students and parents. That's why TG plans or supports numerous events that offer face-to-face interaction, so that students can get the answers they need quickly. These workshops also feature other useful resources, including computers and an Internet connection for completing the FAFSA.
This February, TG's team members will travel across Texas, meeting with students and families and offering the opportunity to ask questions, learn more, and complete a financial aid application. Here’s a look at particular events that TG supports with technical assistance and in-person help from TG’s Ambassador Program, a volunteer organization devoted to spreading the word on financial aid.
Weekend help: Financial Aid Saturdays
TG's team members will be meeting with students and families at events hosted by various area independent school districts (ISDs) in Central Texas, including Austin, Bastrop, Del Valle, Hays, Pflugerville, Manor, and Round Rock. Held every Saturday from February 2 to March 1, these workshops provide one-on-one tutoring on the FAFSA and financial aid. TG will train volunteers from the business community of Central Texas, who will offer assistance at the workshops. Tax professionals from Foundation Community will also be on hand to answer tax questions for the purposes of submitting a FAFSA. If you'd like to learn more about TG's involvement or the activities planned, contact Bonita Peebles at (800) 252-9743, ext. 4784, or send an e-mail message to bonita.peebles@tgslc.org.
Hispanic outreach
The Houston Hispanic Forum, held February 9 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, offers one of the largest venues for disseminating financial aid and college admission information in Texas. The event is open to all students but tailored specifically for the needs of Spanish-speaking students and families. TG will manage the financial aid and admissions plaza for the forum, providing about 40 laptop computers for submitting various financial aid applications, including the FAFSA and the Texas Application for State Financial Aid, or TASFA, college admissions applications, and for searching online for scholarships. Financial aid experts from local colleges and universities and TG Ambassadors will help families submit applications.
On February 16, TG representatives will be attending the Hispanic Education Fair at the Burger Center in Austin. Team members will provide college awareness material and answer questions on how to pay for college during this event. To learn more, contact Richard Sapp at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2865, or send an e-mail message to richard.sapp@tgslc.org.
National TRIO Day
Federal TRIO Programs help low-income and first-generation students enter college and earn a college degree. In 1986, Congress enacted legislation to recognize National TRIO Day in order to raise awareness about the particular needs of disadvantaged students. On February 8, TG will participate in a workshop for first-generation students in honor of National TRIO Day. The workshop will focus on particular ways to assist first-generation prepare for and pay for college. For more information, contact Richard Sapp at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2865, or send an e-mail message to richard.sapp@tgslc.org.
FAFSA Telethons
From February 4 to February 14, TG and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) will be hosting live news telecast programs to inform students and families about the financial aid and admission application processes. Volunteers from colleges and universities, THECB, and TG Ambasssadors will manage a phone bank during the live telecasts.
For more information about dates, times, and targeted viewing locations for the telethons, please contact Richard Sapp at richard.sapp@tgslc.org.
And more to come
Throughout February, TG will be supporting or helping to manage numerous other financial aid fairs and workshops geared for prospective college-goers, including the FAFSA Made Easy Program, featured in another article in this issue of Shoptalk Online. For details, please contact Richard Sapp at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2865, or send an e-mail message to richard.sapp@tgslc.org.
To order publications and other resources
If you'd like to promote financial aid awareness on your college campus, or provide materials in outreach efforts of your own, consider the variety of collateral TG offers at no cost, including posters, publications, and even a complete program on DVD — the FAFSA Made Easy. To order any of these published materials, visit the Online Forms/Publications ordering page on TG Online at www.tgslc.org/order/index.cfm.
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Reminder: Join TG for its 4th annual lender workshop
TG has scheduled its 2008 Lender Workshop, an annual forum for lenders and loan servicers to learn about regulatory changes and other issues affecting higher education and the student financial aid industry.
The day-long seminar, which is offered at no-cost to participants, will be held on January 24 at the Hilton Austin Airport Hotel.
TG policy experts will lead sessions on a variety of regulatory issues, including the final rules issued recently by the U.S. Department of Education, as well as the new College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) passed by Congress.
Other TG experts will lead training sessions that focus on strategies for default aversion and delinquency prevention, and on the latest electronic tools used to track cohort default rates and to analyze default-related information.
To learn more
For more information, or to register for the 2008 Lender Workshop, please visit www.tgslc.org/training/lender/index.cfm, or call (800) 252-9743, ext. 4507.
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Meet Debra Wright, TG's team lead for claims clerical support
The old adage "Time is money" holds true, especially when it comes to student loan claims. TG devotes an entire department to processing and managing claims so that lenders get paid what they're due promptly and efficiently. Service like this, with an emphasis on turnaround and a careful attention to detail, shows TG's support of its lender customers. It also helps reaffirm the promise of a federal guarantee — the foundation on which lenders, borrowers, and schools transact loans.
TG's claims team processes as many as 8,000 claims per month, about half manually. The large volume of claims poses its challenges, but the team handles the workload by dividing its 13 members into two areas — the clerical and the examination teams.
Debra Wright, who heads up the clerical team, exemplifies TG's dedication to timely service. She leads by example, chipping in when the workload demands it and treating each team member as a peer. "I help by interacting with each member in a manner that exhibits respect," said Debra. "I also keep a positive, upbeat demeanor. My team knows I'm a team-player and pretty good at multi-tasking. When they need help, I get in there and help."
Laying the claims foundation
Each day, Debra and her team lays the groundwork for examining claims by sorting and then routing the many claims that come in, both on paper and electronically. They begin the process of logging the claim into TG's online systems and gather and verify that all necessary documentation — such as promissory notes or other supporting paperwork — have been received.
"We also handle returning claims that have been rejected because the documentation was incomplete or incorrect," said Debra. "And we'll process recalls, when a claim has been settled during the time it's with TG. Ensuring the timely processing of recalls does help in keeping down cohort default rates for schools and lenders."
All of these responsibilities require careful coordination and a dedicated work ethic for meeting the spikes in workload. "We function as a cohesive unit to make sure our customers are satisfied," said Debra. "Everybody takes their work seriously and approaches any situation with a professional, can-do attitude."
A varied background
Like many in her area, Debra has a long tenure in the Claims department — 11 years as team lead. Debra accounts for her success as an effective member of Claims partly to a good fit between position and personality. "Working claims and managing clerical support suits me," she said. "I enjoy detail work and like tracking our performance so that we stay on top of the job. And I like the challenge that comes with work in this area and enjoy helping people."
Debra may also get some help in doing her job from a varied educational and work background. She graduated from Concordia University in Austin, Texas — her hometown — with a degree in human resource management. When she came to TG more than a decade and a half ago, she moved between a number of positions including default prevention and tracing borrowers without current addresses, or "skips."
Her current work keeps her focused and interested in many ways both in serving borrowers and in helping her team do their job. "We stay loyal to each other, which I think inspires everybody."
To learn more
For questions about TG's claims process, contact TG customer assistance at (800) 845-6267, or send an e-mail message to cust.assist@tgslc.org.
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