A Program of the Louisiana Board of Regents
NSU hosts inaugural GEAR UP leadership summit
October 24, 2019

LOSFA , through its federally funded Louisiana GEAR UP initiative, has introduced a new program, Connect2Success , with a goal of showing students a direct link between academics and careers. The Connect2Success Program expands on dual enrollment and credentialing courses, while promoting post-secondary programs and the careers they lead to.

Northwestern State University held the inaugural Connect2Success event and hosted 200 high school students from around the region at a leadership summit. It is the first of a several events NSU has planned, to increase the number of low-income students going beyond a high school education.

While at NSU, the high school students participated in experiential learning activities and engaged with students in NSU’s Presidential Leadership Program.

“The Connect2Success NSU/[Louisiana] GEAR UP project is multidisciplinary in scope,” said Steve Gruesbeck, Director of Service Learning at NSU. “Programming involves all four colleges of the university with the unified goal of increasing college access and success. The year-round, experiential learning activities and events are the next evolutionary step following a series of highly successful summer programs involving NSU and Louisiana GEAR UP.”

Click the button below to read about the Connect2Success activities NSU has planned for the academic year.

Read more about Connect2Success .
Working to Minimize Student Loan Debt
October 17, 2019

Brittani Williams , LOSFA's Financial Aid and Career Development Specialist , was recently asked to write a blog for the myFutureNC Blog Series.

Several states are planning out what they can do to increase the number of students completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Some of those have looked to Louisiana to see what the state is doing to increase engagement and FAFSA completion.

In her blog post, Brittani detailed LOSFA's approach - from encouraging academic persistence to initiating conversations to explain the financial aid process and student loan debt.

You can read more by clicking the button below.

It is also posted here , on the ACT website.
Brittani was also named " Woman of the Year " by the Louisiana Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators for her efforts on behalf of Louisiana's students and the financial aid community.

Congratulations Brittani!
The Hechinger Report, a national non-profit organization covering education issues, recently published an article on why all student should complete a FAFSA before high school graduation.

The article highlights the FAFSA policy Louisiana adopted:

" Louisiana offers a compelling test case. Before becoming the first state to make completing the FAFSA mandatory in the 2017-18 school year, its completion rate was just 50 percent, below the then-national average of 55 percent. Since making the change, Louisiana now leads  all states  in the FAFSA completion rate. "
Photos Shared on Social Media
LOSFA celebrated #NationalMentoringDay on Friday, October 25.

Throughout the day statistics on why mentoring matters were posted on our social media pages.

Did you know young adults who face an opportunity gap but have a mentor are 55% more likely to be enrolled in college than those who did not have a mentor?
(Source: The National Mentoring Partnership)

Our mentors also shared personal stories on how mentoring has impacted their lives.
#GeauxtoCollege #LAprospers
Other Related News
University of Louisiana system encourages college completion
October 30, 2019

Several college systems across the state are taking part in a program to help Louisianians complete their degree. CompeteLA is a program that helps adults who have been out of college for at least two years, to re-enroll and get back on track to receive a bachelor's degree. CompeteLA students are provided a personal coach to help navigate the process, from enrollment to graduation.

The program has been available for the last six months. Almost 700,000 people in Louisiana are eligible; 1,600 have signed up.

“It’s a concierge service, it's designed to knock down all of the barriers that would prevent a working adult from coming back to school," said Dr. Jim Henderson, President of the University of Louisiana system.
Some College, No Degree
A 2019 Snapshot for the Nation and 50 States
October 30, 2019

A new report: Some College No Degree , found that over the last five years one million former students returned to a post-secondary institution to earn their first undergraduate credential.

The report was done by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. It also found that another one million former students went back to school and are still in pursuit of their degree.

“The graduation rates commonly used to measure college performance in the U.S. counted them as dropouts when they left and ignored them when they returned, yet their successes today represent great benefits to themselves, their states, and the nation," said Doug Shapiro, Executive Director of the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Researchers say the information in the report can be helpful to stakeholders by, 1) understanding how to create academic programs and services to help students complete their degrees, and 2) meeting future workforce demands.
Southeastern receives funding for inclusive education alliance
October 18, 2019

Southeastern Louisiana University was awarded funds to create a network of colleges and universities across the state to provide educational opportunities for students with developmental disabilities.

SLU currently has its own program, Lions Connected , that pairs students with disabilities with academic and social mentors to help them navigate all aspects of college life.

SLU's Associate Professor of Education and Director of Lions Connected Gerlinde Beckers said SLU will coordinate mentoring efforts, technical assistance, trainings, and more for this new alliance.

LOSFA oversees the state's 529A savings plan for students with disabilities, known as Louisiana's Achieving a Better Life Experience (LA ABLE). Money in these accounts can be used for several qualifying expenses, such as education, training, housing, and more.
LDCC invests in students, strengthens economy
October 12, 2019

Louisiana Delta Community College has been named one of the fastest growing institutions in the nation when it comes to awarding associates and bachelors degrees. LDCC received that honor from the Chronicle of Higher Education.

In a ten year span, from 2007 to 2017, the article says the institution increased its enrollment by 78%.

Staff reported low attendance costs, smaller class sizes and more personal attention have made a positive impact on the institution.

Chancellor Dennis Epps said they have also expanded dual-enrollment partnerships with local K-12 schools.

 Photo Credit: Nicolas Galindo
About LOSFA
The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA), a program of the Louisiana Board of Regents, strives to be Louisiana's first choice for college access by promoting, preparing for and providing equity of college access.