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| Greetings! | |
Happy Thanksgiving!
We're pleased to share another resource-packed newsletter with you. Many of the items included in this month's edition will assist you and the students and families you serve with the application and financial aid process. If you have resources you're dying to share with SoCal CAN colleagues, please feel free to post them on the network listserv or forward them to Sanjay for inclusion.
We hope to see you at our year-end membership meeting on December 14th. In the meantime, wishing you and yours all the best this holiday season!
Warmly, SoCal CAN |
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SOCAL CAN EVENTS | SoCal CAN Membership Meeting
December 14, 2011, 10:00 - 2:00 PM, The California Endowment (Tahoe Rm.) Our discussion will focus on SoCal CAN's strategic direction for 2012. Your input is critical to our success. As a friendly reminder, participation in our biannual membership meetings is required. If a representative from your organization is unable to attend the meeting, please email Alison De Lucca. Click here to RSVP by December 7, 2011. |
PROGRAMS OF INTEREST | Federal Student Aid (FSA) Fall 2011 Conference
November 29 - December 2, 2011, Las Vegas, NV
The Federal Student Aid Conference is the largest financial aid conference offered to the financial aid community, hosting over 5,700 attendees last year. It's designed to provide the most up-to-date information on Title IV programs and the evolving federal policies and procedures. Participants will learn the most current information about FSA programs from members of the Department of Education team and other key partners.
Webinar: Understanding What Scholarship Application Judges Are Looking For
December 1, 2011, 6:30 - 7:30 PM
This webinar, presented by LatinoGraduate.net, will cover special tips on understanding what scholarship judges are looking for. No registration required. Simply click here at the given time to watch the webcast.
10th Annual Career & College Convention & Family Night
December 7-8, 2011, LA Convention Center
This event, organized by LA Cash for College, provides an opportunity for you to reach highly motivated middle and high school students, many of whom are minority and disadvantaged youth who remain under-represented in college attendance. Now, more than ever, it is important for youth to understand the options in choosing a college and career path.Click here to learn more.
For a regularly updated list of upcoming events, visit the Events page on our website!
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RESOURCES
| New Tool Helps Evaluate Student Loan Options
Worried about paying back your student loans? The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau now offers an online "student debt repayment assistant" tool that can help students evaluate possible options. By asking four basic questions, it provides a guide to the steps students can take to explore various alternatives.
StudentMentor.org - Connecting College Students with Mentors
StudentMentor.org's mission is to increase college completion and enhance student career readiness thereby enabling a robust 21st century workforce and community. They achieve this goal by leveraging innovative technology at the core of its national mentoring program. Through this online platform, college students can conveniently find and work with mentors to achieve their academic and career goals.
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POLICY UPDATES
| | CA Community College Transfer Reform Update
The SB 1440 Implementation & Oversight Committee continues to convene monthly to expedite the adoption of the new transfer degree pathways from California Community Colleges (CCC) to our California State University system (CSU). To date, sixteen transfer Model Curriculums (TMCs) have been approved by the California Community College Chancellor's Office.
Obama Unveils New Student Loan Rules
The Obama administration is revising some rules on federally guaranteed student loans. The administration says the changes will make it easier for graduates to repay them. It's making it easier for students to consolidate loans into a single payment and expanding a program that bases payments on a graduate's income. The new rules will affect 7 million of the 36 million student loan borrowers.
2011 CA Higher Education Legislation Update
As 2011 draws to a close, the Campaign for College Opportunity has done a great job of compiling the status of all major Higher Education bills that made their way to the desk of Gov. Brown this year. View which we signed, held by the legislature, and vetoed.
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RESEARCH & TRENDS
| 62% of Californians Believe Higher Education in CA is Headed in Wrong Direction
According to a recent Public Policy Institute of California study, a majority of Californians believe the state's public colleges and universities are headed in the wrong direction, with the state budget crisis and lack of affordability viewed as major problems, according to a new survey. Despite their worries about colleges and universities, less than half would pay higher taxes to maintain current funding and nearly 70 percent of those surveyed are opposed to increasing student fees. CA's College Completion Profile
Complete College America has created a snapshot of how well many states are educating today's college students. Inside you will learn about students who are part time, pursuing certificates, taking remedial courses, and 6-year retention rates.
Billions Spent in U.S. on Community College Students Who Drop Out This report by the nonprofit American Institutes for Research found that from 2004 to 2009, federal, state and local governments spent nearly $4 billion on full-time community college students who dropped out after their first year. In California, expenditures on such students over the five-year period totaled $480 million, far more than any other state. More stories of interest ... Lumina Foundation Launches Latino College Completion Initiative (VIDEO) 7 Ways Universities Are Using Facebook as a Marketing Tool Cal State Tuition Could Rise 9% Next Fall 5 New Ways Colleges Are Reaching High School Students College-going Rates Vary Widely in California
Poll: Young Adults Say Higher Education is More Important but Less Affordable 2011 National Survey of School Counselors Long Beach City College Becomes Major Partner in National Latino Student Success Program Middle Income Student Attendance Declines at UC Trends in College Pricing 2011 More Jobs This Year for Recent Graduates 9 Tips to Scale Back Student Loan Payments California Leads Nation in Escalation of College Costs
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ORGANIZATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
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Call for Proposals: NACAC's Conference Sessions
NACAC invites proposals for presentations to NACAC's 68th National Conference on October 4-6, 2012 in Denver, CO. The goals of the conference are to provide educational and networking opportunities for college admission counseling professionals, including secondary school counselors, college admission officers, independent counselors and educational consultants, community college representatives, financial aid administrators, enrollment managers, community-based organizations (CBOs), gap-year providers, and affiliate organizations. The deadline is December 9, 2011.
Get a FREE Booth at the Cash for College "College and Career Convention"
On December 7th and 8th, thousands of students and their families will have an opportunity to attend Cash for College "College and Career Convention," which will feature college life seminars, meet-and-greet with career experts, financial aid presentations and an Exhibit Hall with college and university representatives from throughout the United States. LA CFC invites SoCal CAN members and partners to host a FREE booth at the convention. Please contact Simon Flores about your options for securing a booth at sflores@lachamber.com.
Fund Development Training Course for CBO's in South Los Angeles
The Resource Development Project (RDP) offers courses in resource development and grantsmanship to community-based service organizations that have faced the ramifications of diminishing resources and hence, been required to "do more with less." Successful grant writing has become much more difficult and takes place in a much more competitive environment, and so RDP helps non-profits in South Los Angeles by creating viable, hands-on training that leads to improved access to financial resources. RDP is looking to host orientations with interested non-profits by December 1, 2011. For more information, please contact Elaine Francisco at efrancisco@jwassociates1.com or 909.229.5227.
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STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
| Summer Science & Math Academy for 9th Graders at USC and UCLA
Each year LPFI selects high-potential, low-income 9th graders of color to participate in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) focused SMASH Academy (Summer Math And Science Honors Academy). SMASH scholars spend five weeks each summer at a SMASH site on a college campus (currently USC and UCLA) immersed in rigorous STEM classes. Click here for a video that explains the program in more detail. The program is free of cost! Program posters are available for USC and UCLA. The deadline is February 23, 2012. Volunteer at the 10th Annual CFC College & Career Convention! Students, and professionals, are invited to volunteer at this year's convention hosted by Cash for College on December 7-8th at the LA Convention Center. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please complete the volunteer registration form. As a token of appreciation, selected Center Theater Group performances, L.A. Kings and a wide selection of gift cards will be raffled to all volunteers. GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program Honoring the legacy and character of our nation's 40th President, the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program rewards college-bound students who demonstrate exemplary leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship with financial assistance to pursue higher education. The deadline is February 17, 2012.
NALEO Internships for Undergraduate Students The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund develops and implements programs that promote the integration of Latinos into the American political system, providing assistance and training to the nation's Latino elected and appointed officials, and conducting research and policy analysis on political access issues. They currently have a number of open internship positions for undergraduate students. Click each position to read full details: |
GRANTS | |
Streisand Foundation
The Barbara Streisand Foundation funds LA-based projects providing educational and extracurricular programs for disadvantaged youth. Awards range from $5,000 to $15,000. The deadline to submit your letter of inquiry is December 3, 2011.
Promoting Education and Equity for Women & Girls
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) provides grants up to $10,000 to organizations promoting education and equity for women and girls. The deadline to submit a proposal is January 15, 2012.
Costco Grants
Costco awards grants to organizations focused on children, education, health, and human services. They accept applications year round. Click here for more information.
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JOBS | Academic Services Advisor
InnerCity Struggle - Los Angeles, CA
InnerCity Struggle (ICS), a social justice and community building organization (and SoCal CAN member) based in Boyle Heights, unincorporated East Los Angeles, El Sereno and Lincoln Heights is seeking an Academic Services Advisor to support the work of our campus based club, United Students (US). The Academic Services Advisor will work with core youth members and their families to ensure that students are on track to graduate from high school and are eligible for college. In addition, the Advisor will also be responsible for developing relationships with students' parents, college representatives, school faculty and school administration.
Senior Director of Communications
NALEO Educational Fund - Los Angeles, CA or Washington, DC
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund develops and implements programs that promote the integration of Latinos into the American political system, providing assistance and training to the nation's Latino elected and appointed officials, and conducting research and policy analysis on political access issues. The position has lead responsibility for expanding the recognition and influence of the NALEO Educational Fund by developing and managing communications strategy, media relations, marketing communications, social media, and online media tools.
Member Services Manager National College Access Network - Washington, DC The National College Access Network (NCAN) is seeking a Member Services Manager to direct, coordinate and evaluate all aspects of its membership services including membership recruitment and retention, ensuring delivery of quality services to its members and participating in the development and delivery of member-related convenings. Chief Development Officer
Summer Search - San Francisco, CA Summer Search is a dynamic, national non-profit organization that identifies resilient low-income high school students and inspires them to become responsible and altruistic leaders. Through year-round mentoring, life-changing summer experiences, college advising, and a lasting alumni support network, students are supported to matriculate to and graduate from college while also learning the importance of giving back. The CDO will be responsible for raising the revenue necessary to position the organization for growth and fund national infrastructure. This person will be primarily externally-facing and will focus on mobilizing the heads and hearts of supporters on behalf of Summer Search.
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MEMBERS IN THE NEWS | |
Two Project GRAD Sites Win GEAR UP Grants
Congratulations to Project GRAD LA for being one of two PGLA sites selected winners of this year's highly-competitive GEAR UP awards from the U.S. Department of Education. The award will use the matching federal grant - released over six or seven years - to advance the core GRAD model of college-preparatory supports for a full cohort of students.
College Access Plan - Making Lasting Friendships at John Muir High School
SoCal CAN member, College Access Plan, was recently featured in the local Alta Dena Patch. The article highlights how John Muir High School truly appreciates and counts on CAP for most of their college mentoring needs.
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We would like to thank The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation for their steadfast support which has made our monthly e-newsletter possible!
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