QUESTA EDUCATION FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES MAY 2016 QUESTA SCHOLAR GRADUATES

Marc R. Levy, Executive Director

Questa Foundation for Education

mlevy@questafoundation.org

260-407-6494

Questa Education Foundation is proud to announce that this year there were a total of 33 individuals who have graduated in May 2016 from colleges and Universities across the state of Indiana. 26 of those graduating were Traditional Scholars who went on to college from high school while 7 were participating in the Contemporary Scholars program focused upon returning students who had delayed their education.   Questa Education Foundation is a local non-profit serving northeast Indiana and is dedicated to increasing access to education beyond high school, reducing college debt and retention of talent.

Questa Education Foundation would like to congratulate the Spring 2016 college graduates:

Butler University: Allison Kanning

Grace College: Megan Donley, Cari O’Hara, Grace Woolsey

Huntington University: Catherine DePew, Amy Hetrick, Alyssa Plisco

Indiana Tech: Jacob Stafford

Indiana University: MaryFrances Easterday, Benjamin Fox, Lynsi Hicks

Indiana Wesleyan: Nicole Biggs, Abigail Hall, Kacie Kirk, Heidi Kolberg, Brittany Sork, Leah Sponseller

IPFW: Mahmuda Arman, Kaleb Krempel, Lori Lupica, Emily Mastelou-Page, Kimberly Taylor

Purdue University: Rachel Crouch, Noah Rider, Lauren Smith, Allison Strickler

St. Mary’s: Madeline Harris

Trine University: Kali Chenoweth, Wade Hantz, Brok Sailor, Jonathan Tinkey

University of St. Francis:  Brooke Conrad, Abby Evard, Kelli Kruckeberg, Nicole Satalino

The scholars received low-interest forgivable loans that allowed them to complete their degree with less debt.  The scholars will receive 50% in loan forgiveness from Questa by living and working in northeast Indiana for the next 5 years following their graduation. An additional 25% of the total loan is paid back by attending and graduating from one of the eight partner regional institutions- Indiana Tech, Ivy Tech, IPFW, University of St. Francis, Huntington University, Grace College, Manchester University, Trine University , and previously - Indiana Wesleyan.  Funding for Questa Scholars comes from local and regional foundations, businesses and organizations.  Local support is essential for helping increase the access to continued education and preparation for employment in our communities. For more information, you can go to the website www.questafoundation.org or call us at 260-407-6494. 

Brooks-Questa Scholars: A New Partnership Transforms Landscape of Construction Trades Workforce

Contact Information:                                                                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Marc R. Levy, Executive Director

Questa Foundation for Education

mlevy@questafoundation.org

260-407-6494

Brooks-Questa Scholars:  A New Partnership Transforms Landscape of Construction Trades Workforce

Questa Education Foundation and Brooks Construction have formalized a partnership that will provide funding to scholars who wish to further their education beyond high school in areas of education that will prepare them for employment in the construction industry, specifically:  heavy highway and site development concentrations.

Questa Education Foundation and Brooks Construction are pleased to announce the 1st recipient of the new partnership:  Logan Gonya – a graduate of Angola High School who will be attending Trine University studying Civil Engineering. 

John Brooks, Owner of Brooks Construction, says:  “We are excited to begin this new partnership with Questa and Logan.  Our employees saw a need to invest in our future, and they have led the effort to seek talented young people that we as a company can support.  We all realize the importance of attracting and retaining talent.  This initiative benefits our employees, our company, the student, our industry and the community.  We wish Logan success in his studies.”

Marc Levy, Executive Director of Questa says:  “This alliance will provide funding to assist qualified students who wish to further their education in these construction related areas and Brooks has pledged to provide internships and practical experience that can complement the student’s education.  Together we are literally transforming the human “landscape” of the workforce by investing in human “capital” that will benefit the work force of the 21st Century in northeast Indiana.  We encourage others to join us in investing in the people in our community.”

Over the years Brooks Construction has been a strong employer in our region.  Recently, the number of graduates who have studied “horizontal” construction (roads, highways, bridges) has decreased and many existing workers in this area are coming upon retirement age.  It is the mutual desire of both organizations to provide funding that would address both the financial gap and be supportive of a post-secondary education in this specific field.

Students who will be eligible for this program will be a high school graduating senior or college freshman from northeast Indiana who has applied for and met all the criterion of the program. 

The Brooks-Questa Scholars will have the same qualifiers as other Questa programs upon graduation and in addition will have the opportunity for a paid internship that can further reduce their final debt.

Questa Foundation is committed to assisting individuals to pursue further education in the form of industry certification as well as associate and bachelor degrees by offering low-interest forgivable loans for students pursuing a certificate, associate, or bachelor degree from an Indiana college or university.  The program offers a unique way for a student to fund the financial “gap” in the cost of attendance.  Questa Education Foundation forgives 50% of the scholars loan balance when the scholar lives and works in northeast Indiana for five years after graduation.  Students who choose to attend and graduate from one of Questa’s eight regional partner schools will receive an additional 25% forgiveness at graduation.  The Questa Scholars Program allows a student to borrow up to $20,000 and when meeting the qualifying criteria receive the maximum 75% forgiveness, making the remaining balance only $5,000 for the scholar to repay.  The forgiveness feature combined with the low fixed interest rate after graduation makes the program an unbeatable loan option for students and families.

Information and materials relevant to this program will be available on our website:  www.questafoundation.org and will be made available in print form for distribution by guidance counselors at high schools and colleges and at community and school events.

For more information about this innovative and exciting program please visit our website listed above or call 260-407-6494.

Traditional Scholar application update

Thank you to all who applied for Traditional Scholar funds this year - we have had record numbers!  A special thank you to all of our professional/community/partner application reviewers.  This is a task we could not complete without you.  We are glad you are part of the process and hope that you feel proud of our accomplished youth that are striving to attain a higher level of education!

QUESTA EDUCATION FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2016 ROY AND DODEZ SCHOLARSHIPS

QUESTAEDUCATION FOUNDATION

Contact Information:                                                                         

Marc R. Levy, Executive Director

Questa Foundation for Education

260-407-6494

 Questa announces scholarship opportunites

Applications are available online for Roy and Dodez Scholarships.

Fort Wayne, IN, May 10, 2016- Questa Education Foundation is pleased to announce scholarship opportunities for local nursing students and also for Indiana students attending Dartmouth College. 

Questa Education Foundation administers the Virgil J & Mildred C Roy “Nursing” scholarship for students seeking a BSN degree at either IPFW or University of Saint Francis.  Emphasis is given to students in their Junior and Senior year of their degree program.  

The Edward C. Dodez Scholarship for Dartmouth students is awarded annually to students from Indiana who choose to attend Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.  The Dodez scholarship awards annually to undergraduate students attending Dartmouth College from the state of Indiana. 

Applications for the Roy and Dodez scholarships are available online now through June 30, 2016 at www.questafoundation.org.

Local support is essential for helping increase the access to continued education and preparation for employment in our communities. Questa Education Foundation is a local non-profit serving Northeast Indiana and is dedicated to increasing access to education beyond high school, reduced debt and retention of talent.  For more information on Questa Education Foundation programs and completing the application visit the website at www.questafoundation.org

Exciting News!

Contact Information:                                                                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            dkurtz@kpcmedia.com

Marc R. Levy, Executive Director

Questa Foundation for Education

mlevy@questafoundation.org

260-407-6494

QUESTA/PARKVIEW/HLCNI PARTNERSHIP MAKES FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR HISPANIC STUDENTS

Fort Wayne, IN, April 6, 2016 – Questa Education Foundation, Parkview Health Systems and the Hispanic Leadership Coalition of Northeast Indiana, Inc. are proud to announce a partnership that helps fund Hispanic/Latino students in pursuit of higher education.

More information about this collaboration will be announced at the HLCNI annual Noche de Gala, which will be held on April 16, at Parkview’s Mirro Center.  This glamorous evening will include dinner, dancing along with a Salsa Band from Chicago, a silent auction and the presentation of HLCNI scholarships.  For tickets to this event please contact: hlcni06@aol.com or 481-6413.

Questa Scholars Program offers low-interest forgivable loans for students pursuing a certificate, associate, or bachelor degree from an Indiana college or university.  A Questa scholar may receive up to $5,000 a year for four years – for a maximum loan of $20,000.  Upon graduation, if the scholar lives and works in Northeast Indiana for five years, half of the loan is forgiven.  If the student attends and graduates from one of the regional partner institutions, an additional 25% of the loan is forgiven.  Ultimately, a student can reduce their Questa loan debt by 75% resulting in an amount due of $5,000 or less.

                “This is about investing in individuals who can benefit from further education and want to live and work in northeast Indiana.  It is about preparing them for the economy of the 21st century and about retaining talent in our community.”  - Marc R. Levy, Executive Director of Questa Education Foundation

Local support is essential for helping increase the access to continued education and preparation for employment in our communities.  For more information on Questa Education Foundation programs and completing the application please visit Questa’s website at www.questafoundation.org or call us at 260-407-6494.