Shoptalk 540, February 16, 2010

TG Report

TG announces keynote speakers for its 2010 annual training conference

The TG Annual Training Conference provides attendees with a variety of opportunities to learn, recharge, and gain new perspectives about the student financial aid industry. Keynote speakers have been confirmed for the event and sessions added, including workshops on outreach, financial literacy, and default prevention. The 2010 TG Annual Training Conference is scheduled for April 7-9 at the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center in Austin.

Keynote speakers announced
Dan Thurmon, president of Motivation Works, Inc., will offer insight on how to use focus and action to manage the demands of a busy work life. His program, "Off Balance On Purpose," kicks off the conference on Wednesday, April 7. Attendees will learn more about maintaining balance in today's world of never-ending challenges. They'll also be impressed by Thurmon's unique visual style of communication, Speaking With Visual Impact—.

Kathryn Childers will close the conference with an interesting presentation titled "Do It Scared!" Childers shows audiences how they can break through barriers preventing them from achieving goals. Childers encourages audiences to cultivate creativity and capitalize on previous experiences. She also discusses how to take advantage of opportunities that may transpire from success.

ED representatives will be on-hand during general sessions, offering help and information on the transition process to Direct Lending and answering questions on the year-round Pell grant program.

TG encourages attendees to take advantage of the expertise available in all general sessions by:

Asking questions;
Exchanging insights with colleagues who may share similar challenges; and
Engaging in discussion during workshops.

Focus on learning tracks
TG conference staff have designed a comprehensive conference agenda focused on issues important to financial aid professionals including sessions on outreach and financial literacy. Here's an overview of subject tracks.

Awareness: Many conference attendees know how the day-to-day work accomplished by financial aid professionals makes a difference for families and students. Sessions in TG's Awareness track offers tips and information on how to manage outreach efforts.
Financial Literacy: Sessions during the conference will focus on financial literacy initiatives which have proved successful at other institutions. Sessions will also equip attendees with tips and information on how to support students through programs like TG's "Money Management 101."
Industry: Presented by both industry and TG experts, Industry track sessions provide information on such issues as loan discharge and forgiveness, Financial Aid Management System (FAMS) challenges, entrance and exit counseling opportunities, student consumerism, social media trends, and more.
Default Management: TG's Default Management track will offer trainings on the basics of default management; guidance in understanding Income-Based Repayment; help in identifying default myths; opportunities for hearing how other institutions have been successful in default aversion; information on how TG can help with default management; and sessions on managing the transition to the new three-year cohort default rate.
Professional Development: Industry and TG training experts will lead sessions on coaching teams, critical thinking, and how everyday efforts "Make a difference — one student at a time."
TG Tools: This series of sessions will offer an overview of upcoming TG product developments; overviews of TG's Integrated Default Assistant™ (IDA™) and List Assist℠ tools; and an exchange on how TG can help schools making the transition to Direct Lending.

Refer to the online agenda for more session date and time details.

To register
Visit TG Online to register before March 19, 2010. If you prefer to speak with someone directly, contact TG's event planning coordinator Judith Cunningham at (800) 252-9743, ext. 2905, or send an email message to judith.cunningham@tgslc.org.

Newest edition of TG Connection offers tips for effective outreach

An important part of TG's mission is providing outreach activities that help families and students realize their educational dreams. In the financial aid industry, outreach can come in the form of shared knowledge and information, resources, events, programs, and an array of other approaches that benefit not just families and students, but ultimately society.

The latest issue of TG Connection delves into several outreach models, takes a look at important lessons in building outreach programs, and showcases an online outreach tool designed to help answer many of the questions families and students may have about higher education. Created to both inform and inspire financial aid administrators, the issue covers the following topics:

Cultivating the future: The Seeds 4 Success Program works to create a college-going culture in Appalachian Ohio — The Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education (OACHE) emphasizes the correlation between education and earnings to first-generation students from traditionally underrepresented groups. Learn how OACHE shares its outreach message with elementary, middle, and early high school students, as well as high school seniors.
Adventures In Education — A reliable resource on the Web gets a brand new look — As families and students increasingly turn to the Web for information, sites like TG's Adventures In Education (AIE™) provide resources to help answer questions about applying to college, student financial aid, budgeting, and much more. Read about recent AIE enhancements that help promote the site's mission.
Admission Possible: A Minnesota organization harnesses peer group power for college outreach — In Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and St. Paul, the nonprofit Admission Possible helps make college admission a reality for promising, low-income students by providing ACT and SAT preparation services and financial aid consulting. Discover how AmeriCorps members work with small groups of high school students to help them through the college admission process.
Eight important lessons in making a difference — Whether running the TG Ambassador program or providing training, TG assistant director of pre-college success Bonita Peebles is an expert in the values and ideas behind student outreach. Bonita shares eight important lessons with financial aid offices looking to enhance their outreach programs.
Outreach: Community colleges share resources and opportunities — Community college enrollment is up. More people are looking to improve their job skills or make career shifts. This article describes just a few of the ways that community colleges are reaching out to help people affected by a shifting economy.

Order your issue
If you would like to request one or more issues of TG Connection, please send an email message to TG communications at communications@tgslc.org. Please allow one to two weeks for delivery.

TG to offer workshop on three-year cohort default rate at SASFAA Annual Conference

This spring conference season offers abundant opportunity for honing your regulatory knowledge and financial aid skills. TG will be presenting sessions at a variety of spring conferences, including the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (SASFAA) Annual Conference, to be held in Louisville, Kentucky, February 21-24.

TG's presenters will be offering a workshop focusing on the latest developments with regard to cohort default rates. The session, titled "Transitioning to a 3-year Cohort Default Rate," will be offered on February 22 from 1:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Participants will focus on the shift from a two-year to a three-year CDR calculation. Participants will also learn about the benefits for schools with low default rates and the consequences of higher default rates. The session will highlight default prevention initiatives, which could help schools manage their CDRs.

More about TG trainings
TG offers a variety of training opportunities through its Speakers Bureau. TG can adapt training sessions to meet the needs of your campus. To find out how, contact your account executive at (800) 252-9743.

Help students avoid common FAFSA mistakes with TG's Adventures In Education

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is one of the essential documents for obtaining financial aid. Completing it without errors helps ensure that students receive all the aid for which they're eligible. TG's Adventures In Education website offers help with its FAFSA Info Center. AIE is a public service website that supplies college and career planning resources to families and students.

The FAFSA Info Center serves as a helpful utility for the FAFSA, offering an overview of the FAFSA process, help in determining dependency status, and guidance on family arrangements. The FAFSA Info Center also highlights some of the common errors in completing the FAFSA, which could complicate the processing of applications. Incomplete or incorrect information, missing supplemental documentation, or applications without signatures are just a few of the most common errors.

Also, parents and students frequently have questions about the FAFSA, for example, whether they should apply as non-citizens. AIE's FAFSA Info Center offers help with these queries as well.

Explore AIE's FAFSA Info Center
Learn more about the varied set of tools in AIE's FAFSA Info Center and offer it to your parents and students. If you have questions about any information on AIE, contact TG's communications team at (800) 252-9743, ext. 4588, or send an email message to communications@tgslc.org.