Delegation Backs VSAC’s Direct Loan Servicing Application
March 1st, 2011Vermont’s three-member congressional delegation wrote to the U.S. Department of Education in December to express support for VSAC’s efforts to secure a direct loan servicing contract. Due to federal legislation approved in 2010, VSAC lost the ability to guarantee and originate federal student and parent loans. However, it is hoping to be able to continue servicing federal loans for Vermonters and other borrowers through a provision sponsored by the Vermont delegation that requires the U.S. DOE to include nonprofits like VSAC in federal loan servicing bids.
KSV and VSAC Receive Awards for Career Planning Web Site
February 24th, 2011WINOOSKI — Kelliher Samets Volk (KSV) and the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) have received three national awards for the Start Where You Are Professional Web site KSV developed for VSAC.
The honors consist of an Education Standard of Excellence award from the Web Marketing Association and two silver W³ awards from the International Academy of the Visual Arts in the categories of Education and Structure/Navigation.
VSAC launched the Start Where You Are college access program in 2007 with seed money from the Vermont Legislature and has developed it with funding from a federal College Access Challenge Grant. The program uses a variety of tactics to motivate Vermont students to explore careers and continue their education beyond high school.
KSV helped VSAC design the original project, including the fun and interactive Start Where You Are Web site for Vermont teens and parents, winner of three awards in 2008. The recent Web awards honor a new component of the site devoted to resources for educators and other professionals who work with Vermont youth on career planning.
Kelliher Samets Volk is a marketing group with offices in Burlington, New York City, and Boston. VSAC is a public nonprofit that helps Vermonters plan and pay for education beyond high school.
VSAC Hosts College Planning Day for Students & Parents
February 14th, 2011
WINOOSKI — Registration is under way for the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation’s 10th annual College Pathways program, a free day of college planning workshops for high school sophomores and juniors and their parents.
In order to accommodate as many families as possible, VSAC hosts College Pathways in three locations on the following Saturdays:
· March 19 at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester
· April 2 at Castleton State College in Castleton
· April 9 at Lyndon State College in Lyndonville
The program enables each student and parent to choose up to four workshop topics from a dozen available, and includes a free bag lunch. Among topics offered are applying to college, college application essay writing, paying for college, scholarship search, two-year college options, resources for students with learning disabilities, playing intercollegiate sports, and admission to highly selective schools.
The event begins with registration at 8:30 a.m. and concludes at 3 p.m. Families are encouraged to register early, because workshops fill fast. For more information or to register, visit www.vsac.org/CollegePathways.