First, you’d be called to the principal’s office. Every senior at South Side High School experienced it. They sat across from the principal and he asked about their plans for the future. Times were uncertain. Fast forward to today; times are uncertain. America is still grappling with the pandemic, and college prospects are in question. As a community, we cannot let those college dreams die.
One of the most important steps to deciding on your dream college this fall is understanding your financial aid award letter. Between the EFC, FAFSA, grants, scholarships, loans, and all the deadlines, it can bring on a headache or two, especially when every college financial aid award letter looks a little different. Questa Education Foundation teamed up with Shawn Morris, Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Indiana Tech, to provide a few tips on reading your financial aid letter and the next steps to help you make the best financial decision.
When we look back on 2020, we’ll certainly consider it a year like no other – with unprecedented challenges and change. Yet, when we reflect on our year at Questa, the enthusiasm and determination of Questa scholars was unwavering – perhaps even strengthened.
Whenever I talked to Questa scholars this year, I asked how their education and their lives have been affected by the pandemic, they were unfailingly upbeat about their switch to online classes last spring, the opportunity to get back to campus this fall despite restrictions, and the importance of their college experience overall.
In general, we see a lot of headlines questioning if college is worth the cost. This year, with not only financial obstacles, but also testing, masks and ever-changing restrictions, students answered the question. They persisted and thrived. They know college is worth it because of the new idea sparked in class, the challenging content they finally mastered, the great new friendships they found, and the opportunity to see their “old school” professor learn some new tricks on Zoom.
Students know college is an investment in their futures. It’s a dream they aren’t giving up on. And, it’s a dream made possible for students because of the support from our community.
For over 80 years, Questa has harnessed community support to help students access education, graduate with less debt, and contribute to our regional workforce. This year was no different and we expanded our programs and partnerships to support scholars in new ways.
We responded to the hardships of the pandemic by offering deferments to graduates who needed it and opening late-round applications for new scholars who needed financial support to make college possible this fall. Questa is proud to be supporting over 400 scholars from the region as they pursue certificates and degrees.
This year, we also added new programs, including the Degree Finish Line to help students return and complete their degrees and the 80/20 Manufacturing Scholars program to support students pursuing careers in the manufacturing industry. New partners made these programs possible. Questa was proud to develop new collaborations with 80/20 Foundation Trust, Ferguson, Foellinger Foundation, the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, and Visiting Nurse Fort Wayne. We renewed partnerships with long-time supporters like AWS Foundation, Cole Foundation, Parkview Health, and the Yergens-Rogers Foundation. Questa also welcomed three new partner schools—Anderson University, Indiana Wesleyan University, and Taylor University—who will join other colleges and universities in the region to support Questa scholars with an additional 25% of debt forgiveness upon graduation. This was also the year we bid a fond farewell to retiring executive director, Marc Levy, who led Questa’s growth and success for eight years. I was honored to join Questa in April and deeply inspired to discover the talent and passion of the staff and board members who make this work possible. Every partnership and each individual supporter strengthen our network of support for students from our region.
At Questa, when we look back on 2020, we’ll remember it as a year when our students were undeterred by the challenges, and our community didn’t waver in their support. Thank you for continuing to believe and invest in local talent.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – For many individuals, an outstanding balance may prohibit them from completing their college degree, stifling their ability to graduate and advance their careers. To help students overcome this financial barrier, the Questa Education Foundation and the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership developed the Degree Finish Line program. Degree Finish Line helps students pay off existing institutional balances so they can re-enroll or continue enrollment and finish their degrees. In addition, students will join Questa’s Contemporary Scholars program and receive low-interest loans to help fund tuition and fees for their remaining semesters. Questa loans are up to 75% forgiven when students graduate from partner schools and live and work in Northeast Indiana for five years after graduation.
Degree Finish Line was developed with the Northeast Indiana Colleges and Universities Network, a regional collaboration facilitated by the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. This partnership builds on the 2019 Talent Hub designation by Lumina Foundation, which recognizes the region’s collaborative approach to fueling credential attainment.
“Programs like Degree Finish Line are critical to helping our region attain 60% of the population with a postsecondary degree or credential,” said Ryan Twiss, Vice President of Talent Initiatives at the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. “Northeast Indiana is able to implement this unique program because of the exceptional collaboration of our regional colleges and universities and the expertise of Questa Education Foundation in helping students finance their college education.”
Local institutions are partnering with Questa to forgive up to $4,000 of outstanding balance, and Questa will provide up to $5,000 a year in additional funding. Debt forgiveness and financing options vary by institution.
“We believe in the talent of our residents, and we have been investing in local talent for decades,” said Elizabeth Bushnell, Executive Director of Questa Education Foundation. “This innovative program ensures that students can overcome financial obstacles, complete their degree programs and contribute to our regional workforce.”
Residents of the eleven counties of Northeast Indiana are eligible to apply, including Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, Noble, LaGrange, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley. Participating and partnering institutions include: Grace College, Huntington University, Indiana Tech, Indiana Wesleyan University, Ivy Tech Community College, Manchester University and Trine University.
“Grace College committed to this program in order to help more students achieve their degrees,” said Mark Pohl, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid at Grace College. “We are dedicated to the success of every student at Grace and are proud to collaborate with other colleges and universities in the region to support the success of all students in Northeast Indiana.”
Students are encouraged to contact their financial aid department for more information or visit the Contemporary Scholars page: https://www.questafoundation.org/contemporary-questa-scholars. To learn more, visit the website at www.neindiana.com/news.
About the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership: The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership’s mission is to build, market and sell Northeast Indiana to increase business investment. Founded in 2006, the public-private partnership strives to build a globally competitive region. The Partnership’s Vision 2030 framework supports collaborative regional efforts to increase per capita income, population growth and educational attainment by focusing on business attraction, talent attraction and talent development. The Partnership represents 11 member counties: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley. For more information, visit www.neindiana.com.
About Questa Foundation: Since 1937, Questa Education Foundation has been helping individuals access post secondary education, graduate with less debt, and become contributing members of Northeast Indiana’s workforce.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kate Virag
Vice President of Marketing & Strategic Communications
Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
260.414.2431
kate@NEIndiana.com
Hillary Troup
Marketing Specialist
Questa Foundation
260-407-6494 ext. 103
htroup@questafoundation.org
Elizabeth Bushnell
Executive Director
Questa Foundation
260-407-6494 ext. 105
ebushnell@questafoundation.org
