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TG Updates

Shoptalk Online 487, January 20, 2009

TG Updates

TG offers FAFSA program to schools and community organizations

For the last 14 years, TG has produced an informative program on completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the all-important document for any student interested in federal aid for college. The FAFSA-Made-Easy program explains the FAFSA section by section and offers information for submitting the application. The program also serves to inspire students to attend an institution of higher education.

The free program will be available beginning February 2. Higher education institutions as well as high schools, libraries, community outreach groups, and faith-based organizations can register to receive the program. They in turn can act as host sites, offering the program to students and families.

To receive the program, organizations can register at TG's public service website, Adventures In Education, located at www.aie.org/FAFSAMadeEasy. Registered organizations will receive a promotional packet that includes posters, flyers, a sign-up sheet, and other materials to promote the program. DVDs of the program will be shipped separately initially; after January 23, the promotional packet and DVDs will be mailed together. The program, available in English and Spanish, runs approximately 50 minutes.

Host sites can show the program on the date and time that is most convenient for their staff and the families they serve.

"Host sites can also keep the DVDs and use them for additional viewings or to duplicate for circulation," said Richard Sapp, TG's director of pre-college success. "The program may be broadcast over public access and school district television outlets."

An added bonus for students
Students who view the FAFSA-Made-Easy program can complete and return a Program Evaluation Form. The form is the student's entry for scholarships and the grand prize of a computer (laptop or desktop). Host sites can make copies of the form, pass them out to students that view the program, and return them to TG.

Winners of the scholarships and computer are under no obligation to obtain student loans from any lending institution or have their loans guaranteed by TG.

To learn more
For more information, contact Richard at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2865, or send an message to richard.sapp@tgslc.org.

Spread the word: Join TG at these events in support of Financial Aid Awareness Month

This February, TG team members travel across Texas, promoting financial aid awareness and lending support at key events planned for Financial Aid Awareness Month. Their goal is to answer questions on financial aid and help students complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

TG provides help in several forms at these financial aid events, including volunteers for answering questions and laptops for completing an application online. Volunteers are members from TG's Ambassador Program, a volunteer program made up entirely of TG employees who spread the word on financial aid at community events and work to make college more accessible to students and families.

Here's a preview of financial aid events TG supports. Note that these events are open to all students interested in completing a FAFSA, including students currently enrolled in college or those interested in enrolling.

Weekend help: Financial Aid Saturdays
TG's team members will be meeting with students and families at events called "Financial Aid Saturdays" hosted by 11 area independent school districts (ISDs), including Austin, Del Valle, Hays, and Round Rock. Held every Saturday from January 17 to March 7, these workshops provide one-on-one help for completing and submitting the FAFSA. TG will train volunteers from the business community of Central Texas who will offer assistance at the workshops. Tax professionals from Community Tax Centers will also be on hand at select locations to complete tax forms necessary to 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 message to bonita.peebles@tgslc.org.

Hispanic outreach
The Houston Hispanic Forum, held February 7 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 financial aid applications, including the FAFSA and the Texas Application for State Financial Aid, or TASFA, and college admissions applications. The laptops can also be used for online scholarship searches. Financial aid experts from local colleges and universities and TG Ambassadors will help families submit applications. The event also offers panel discussions on various financial aid topics.

On February 17, TG representatives will attend the third annual Feria Para Aprender, a health, education, and social services fair at the Burger Center in Austin. Team members will provide college awareness material and answer questions on how to prepare and pay for college. To learn more, contact Bonita Peebles at (800) 252-9743, ext. 4784, or send an message to bonita.peebles@tgslc.org.

FAFSA Telethons
From February 9 to February 27, 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 Ambassadors 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.

College Goal Sunday
College Goal Sunday began as an Indiana initiative designed to inform students and families about the availability of financial aid and offer expert assistance in filling out the paperwork required to qualify for that aid. It garnered support nationally, becoming one of the most well-recognized financial aid events in the country. Texas offers its own state-supported form of the program that brings together colleges, high schools, families and students at some 30 sites. Held on February 22 this year, Texas' College Goal Sunday offers students and families an opportunity for learning more about the FAFSA and completing an application.

For more information about the event, 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. For details, please contact Richard Sapp at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2865, or send an 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 TG's free collateral, 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.

How do financial aid offices make a difference? Find out with new issue of TG Connection

TG's latest edition of TG Connection examines how financial aid professionals often go above and beyond to provide the best service to students. TG Connection, a quarterly TG magazine, offers substantive articles on trends in financial aid. The magazine also pays particular attention to the professional needs of financial aid administrators.

This issue of TG Connection — Helping Students Succeed: The Focus of Financial Aid — considers a simple question: How do financial aid professionals and other college administrators make a difference in the lives of students? The answer comes in a surprising variety of forms, from mentoring to inter-office collaboration. Here's a short summary of articles in this issue.

Collaborating with other campus offices: Student issues are often not confined to problems that can be addressed by the financial aid office alone. This article discusses ways financial aid offices can collaborate with other campus offices or off-campus organizations to enhance the services they offer their students.
Above and beyond in financial aid: Financial aid professionals are in the industry because they believe in what they do. This article highlights stories of exceptional service on the part of financial aid officers, offices, and schools.
Mentoring students: Mentor programs can provide vital support for students, especially for at-risk populations such as first-generation students and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This article includes interviews with administrators and students from several campus mentoring programs.
Web Resources: This article highlights a number of online resources financial aid offices can use to help their students make the transition into the working world.
Managing student workers to fullest effect: Managing student workers, many of whom may be new to part-time or full-time employment, can offer a set of unique challenges. This short article describes strategies for effectively managing student workers. It focuses on how administrators can instill a sense of teamwork and shared mission, as well as help students strengthen their job skill set.

To order your copy
If you would like to request one or more copies of this issue of TG Connection, please TG communications at communications@tgslc.org. Please allow one to two weeks for shipment and delivery.

TG to close for annual corporate meeting on Thursday

TG will be closed for its annual corporate-wide meeting on Thursday, January 22, from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. TG will resume normal business hours of operation on Friday, January 23.