Questa Scholars Funded, Talent Retained in Our Community
Questa Education Foundation is excited to announce 71 new scholars into the Traditional Scholars program.
These students have recently graduated from high school and will be entering college this fall as freshmen. Through the Questa Scholars program, our scholars will be given low-interest forgivable loans to help reduce their college debt. Each of our scholars have unique stories and important aspirations. At Questa, we want to invest in these learners to help them graduate with less debt, explore their passions, and become the talent we need that will improve our local economy.
Questa’s goal is to help with the talent gap. One of our scholars from Burma, now a Fort Wayne resident, shares how she felt when she found out she was accepted as a Questa Scholar, “I am very blessed to be chosen as a Questa Scholar. This program allows me to continue my education with an understanding that many of my financial burdens are lighter because of the forgivable loan program that Questa offers. I feel that I will be able to manage my financial situation better.” Naw Sar Do graduated from Northside High School and plans to attend IU Bloomington to study Physics. Her plans are to move back to the Northeast Indiana area upon graduation to represent the Burmese community in the healthcare field and to be a link to those who do not have access to healthcare.
Student loan debt has surpassed national credit card debt reaching $1.21 trillion, and Questa’s goal to reduce the debt that your scholars have upon graduation. Questa scholars graduate with less debt and receive forgivable loans that are easy to pay off. Our one-of-a-kind funding provides the possibility of receiving loan forgiveness for as much as 75% of the total loan amount! By attending a partner school, students will receive 25% forgiveness, and an additional 50% forgiveness by living and working in the area for five years after graduation..
Questa scholars that have graduated are becoming the talent we need for a thriving economy. Of the students that have graduated in the Questa Scholars program, 80% are graduating in 4 years compared to the national average of 59%.
In addition, over 70% are either staying or return to live and work in our region. The result of the Questa program is, in fact, talent retained in our communities.
A scholar from Whitley County, and a recent graduate from Purdue Fort Wayne, Ali McQueen shares how Questa helped her through her education, “During my senior year of high school, I knew that my four years of college were going to be paid for out of my own pocket. I decided to apply for the Questa program, and now I only owe a small portion of the full loan. It puts me at ease knowing I am not going to be in debt from my college loans for years and years to come.” Ali plans to give back to her community through her Elementary Education degree, and to be a positive influence in young lives in the area.
Questa invests in the lives of these students, so they can thrive and continue to use their talents in the Northeast Indiana workforce. Traditional students, as mentioned above, drive only one part of our strategy. Individuals who did not complete an education, but are already in the workforce, can also be the talent we need with more education or training. Industry Certifications, Associate, and Bachelor degrees are all ways to access livable wage jobs.
How can you help? Become a partner with Questa and help by providing funds for current and future talent needs. The support of our funders and donors is vital for Questa to be able to carry out this mission. Find out more about our forgivable loan programs and how you can partner with us at www.questafoundation.org or give us a call at 260-407-6494.