Thursday, April 12, 2012

Financial Aid and Paying for College


The cost of college is both a political issue highlighted in President Obama's State of the Union address, and a personal issue for students and their families seeking to balance debt and educational opportunity. In a live, interactive "Office Hours" webcast Thursday, Feb. 2, Duke's director of financial aid, Alison Rabil, answers viewer questions about paying for college. Duke admissions officer Valerie Schwartz moderates the conversation.

Rabil has worked in university financial aid for more than 20 years. She was in charge of financial aid at Barnard College in New York before taking her current position at Duke in 2008.

"I did not grow up thinking, 'I want to work in financial aid,'" Rabil says, "but I have found that it is a good place for me and what I like to do. I am passionate about access to education."My mission is to be fair, accessible, open-minded and as generous as possible given the parameters within which I must work," she says. "I see myself as an advocate and a voice for those who cannot afford the full cost at Duke."

Duke's Financial Aid website explains the financial aid process in a video, text instructions and an animated presentation. The site also has a link to a financial aid calculator and answers to frequently asked questions.

Duke's "Office Hours" webcast series allows members of the Duke community and others to engage in live conversations with faculty about their research and scholarship. Visit the Office Hours website to see a schedule of upcoming topics, watch past episodes and sign up for email reminders. 

Student Loan Debt: In Real Terms



When paying for college, there may not be enough money in scholarships or grants to pay for tuition, fees, and books. Sometimes, student loans have to be taken out to cover the rest of the costs. Huffington Post takes a look at how student loan debt looks like after the degree is completed. 


To read the article, click here.  


Tuesday, April 10, 2012

How To: Use Vending Machine Snacks in Home Cooking

As a college student, struggling to find time to prepare a meal in the kitchen may be difficult. Huffington Post's Maria Russo takes a look at how to incorporate snacks from the vending machine into a hearty meal. 


To read the article, click here


- Upward Bound Staff

Week 30 Announcements


Upward Bound—Avila University
Weekly Announcements 
Week 30
Week of April 9, 2012
Important Upcoming Upward Bound Information and Events

Saturday Session
On Saturday, April 14 from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM, we'll have Saturday Session. We'll have workshops for freshman-juniors and college planning for seniors. In addition to the workshops on Saturday, March stipends will be distributed. Saturday Session is required for every student. It is important that students are on time so they find the right place to be on Saturday and to sign up for May activities.

Summer Excellence Institute 2012 Applications

Due to high number of students in Upward Bound, spots for Summer Excellence Institute are limited. In order to participate in summer, Upward Bound participants need to complete their Summer Excellence Institute Application. Applications can be found at weekly tutoring and at April Saturday Session (April 14). 


The deadline for applications is April 27 at 5:00 PM. For more questions contact the Upward Bound office at 816.501.2438 or email the Upward Bound office at upward.bound@avila.edu.


Financial Literacy and Dinner & Movie
On April 11 in conjunction with the Upward Bound program at University of Missouri-Kansas City, participants will have the opportunity to learn about personal finance at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and when that's over, go out for a dinner & movie. Participants will have a few options to choose from regarding movies.

Participants will be picked up at their respective schools (Grandview HS and Ruskin HS only) at the end of school. Participants will arrive back to Avila's campus around 10:00 PM. 



Spots are filling fast, so it is critical to RSVP soon. To RSVP, call the Upward Bound office at 816.501.2438 or email the Upward Bound office at upward.bound@avila.edu.

Spring Sports Information
With spring sports underway at Ruskin HS and Grandview HS, we'd like to offer quick tips to spring athletes as they start their seasons:
  • Stop in before practice to get announcements! Knowing what is going on wit Upward Bound is very important. Do not fall off the map! 
  • If you're falling behind in a class and need help and don't want to miss much practice, let the Upward Bound office know your situation. We can help find a tutor for you to help with your schedule.
  • Schedule your activity around your practices and games. With many activities being offered at different times and dates, attending activities should not be hard to do. 
We encourage students to participate in athletics and other extra-curricular activities both in and outside of school. We wish luck to all of our spring athletes!



Tutoring Reminders

  • 6 hours of tutoring is required for students NOT on probation 
  • 10 of hours of tutoring is required for students on probation 
  • A total of 12 hours of tutoring are available at both Grandview HS and Ruskin HS 
  • Additional individual tutoring held at Avila can be scheduled with the Upward Bound office with 24 hrs notice 
Wristbands Are In!
For $2, you can help support the Upward Bound - Avila University scholarship fund by sporting a flashy black and purple wristband. Friends, family, alumni, and current participants are all related to Upward Bound and wearing the wristband is a good way to tell others about Upward Bound!

Stipend
Students who do not pick up their monthly stipends at Saturday Session can pick up their stipends at tutoring the following week. Grandview students can pick their stipends up on the Tuesday after Saturday Session and Ruskin students can pick their stipends up on the Thursday after Saturday Session. After those dates, stipend will be returned the business office at Avila.

Recruiting
If you know any students that are interested in applying for the Upward Bound - Avila University program, they are welcome to apply. Applications can be found here and at the counselors office at Ruskin High School and Grandview High School.

Office Phone: 816.501.2438
Office Fax: 816.501.2437
EmailUpward.Bound@Avila.edu
Websitewww.avila.edu/ub
Twitter: @UpwardBoundAU
FacebookFacebook.com/AvilaUpwardBound
Blogavilaupwardbound.blogspot.com