| Last Call for Adult Learner Scholarship Applications |
College Now provides scholarship opportunities to adult students age 19 and above who have taken off one year or more after high school. Eligible adult learners are Pell-eligible and must be pursuing a first bachelor's degree, an associate's degree or a non-degree certificate or license in a vocational or technical program.
Applicants must complete the application and meet the scholarship criteria for academic performance and financial need. Scholarships are renewable.
Adults from Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit or Trumbull County may apply for the College Now Adult Learner Scholarship.
Deadline to apply is April 15, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. Click here for more information and to apply.
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Mentoring Pair Profile: Joe Shue and Keith Sulzer
Being the oldest sibling in his family meant that Joe Shue, College Now mentee and first-year student at Cleveland State, was not accustomed to having a mentor. Thus Joe was excited - and nervous - when he found out that he was being paired with a mentor along with his scholarship. Yet those nerves quickly subsided. When he met his mentor, Keith Sulzer, a Cleveland Police Captain, he found that it was a "match made in heaven."
Similarly, as Keith has gotten to know Joe, he has found that Joe's resiliency, work ethic, and dedication are "inspirational." As Keith explained, although the future can be worrisome, "knowing that there are young people like Joseph around gives me hope."
Joe and Keith often meet for lunch to discuss their mutual interests, which include law enforcement. Keith has worked in the field for 27 years and serves as an advocate for the Cleveland community and for the police force. A key piece of Keith's work is speaking to young people about law enforcement and he hopes to get more young people involved in the service.
Recognizing this, Joe knew that Keith would be the perfect speaker for his Introduction to Criminology course at Cleveland State. So on February 21
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, Keith spoke to Joe's class about his experiences in law enforcement, how to cope with the difficult parts of the profession, and some of his greatest moments as an officer and police captain. "My classmates absolutely loved Keith and kept telling me how lucky I am to have him as a mentor," Joe noted.
For any mentor wondering what role they can play in a mentee's life, Joe would encourage them to be a "cheerleader [for their mentee] and always highlight the positive." Many times Keith has been a cheerleader for Joe, which has helped him to "get back up" during challenging times.
As Joe also noted, the College Now Scholarship and Mentoring Program "is not just about the scholarship," but it's about "having someone to talk to who has been through college and has experiences and accomplishments in their career." And that learning process is a two-way street. As Keith described, "I get as much out of the program as Joe does."
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College Now and the Cleveland Clinic: A Terrific Partnership
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Long recognized as one of the most respected hospitals in the country, Cleveland Clinic provides best-in-class healthcare across Northeast Ohio and around the world.
Over the last five years, Cleveland Clinic's relationship with College Now has continued to grow, for which we are most grateful. Indeed, the most recent grant from Cleveland Clinic to College Now will strengthen our advising work with high school students and adult learners, especially as it relates to assisting individuals pursue postsecondary educational pathways that lead in-demand careers.
As Vickie Eaton Johnson, Cleveland Clinic's Senior Director of Community Outreach, noted when discussing the important relationship that Cleveland Clinic has with College Now and students across Greater Cleveland, "As Northeast Ohio's largest employer, it is a business imperative to invest in our future workforce. Cleveland Clinic is proud to support College Now Greater Cleveland and considers the organization one of our core community partners."
In addition to its philanthropic support, Cleveland Clinic employees are incredibly generous with their time to College Now as volunteer mentors to our scholarship recipients. Today, more than 20 Clinic employees serve as mentors, putting Cleveland Clinic within the top 10 companies regionally, of over 400 companies, with employees involved in our Mentoring Program. Moreover, beyond developing individual relationships with their own mentees, Cleveland Clinic participates in College Now's annual career fair for our scholarship recipients. And, last year, Cleveland Clinic employees, in conjunction with College Now, also served as True2U mentors to eighth grade classes in elementary schools surrounding Cleveland Clinic's Main Campus.
Thank you to Cleveland Clinic for this multi-faceted investment in postsecondary educational attainment!
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College Now Programs Team Accepting School-Based Contracts
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Last week, representatives from more than 20 school districts - a mix of schools currently and not yet served - came to a breakfast hosted by College Now's Programs team to learn more about the benefits and impact of our school-based advising.
School districts learned about our menu of services and all of the ways College Now can support their students, including:
- Exploring colleges and careers
- Building college-going cultures
- Helping with the college application and financial aid process
- Selecting a postsecondary program (four- or two-year degree; industry-recognized certificate programs)
- Transitioning from high school to college and career
- Applying for scholarships
- Mentoring
Potential partners also learned about the robust data and reporting function we have at College Now that provides school principals with annual data about College Now's results in their buildings.
We are currently accepting new school-based contracts for the 2018-2019 school year. If you are interested in bringing College Now to your school, call 216.241.5587 or email info@collegenowgc.org.
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Enroll in Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Before It's Too Late
Individuals working for a 501(c)3 or non-profit may be eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, a Federal program which could both reduce your monthly payment and allow you to have some of your total student loan balance forgiven! New graduates have the most to gain by enrolling in this program.
If you have student loan debt, you have nothing to lose in setting up an appointment with an Adult Programs Specialist to review your options. It is always free and confidential.
To schedule an appointment, contact an Adult Programs Specialists by calling 216.635.0151 or emailing resourcecenter@collegenowgc.org.
This program is on the chopping block in the upcoming Federal budget, but people already enrolled in the program may be grandfathered in, so do not delay in setting up your appointment!
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Looking for a Good Spring Read? Nestle into a Great Book and Support College Now
2. Log in to your Amazon account
3. Type College Now Greater Cleveland into the charity/organization search bar
4. 0.5% of your total purchase amount will be donated to College Now!
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