Archive for the ‘Financial Aid’ Category

Pellissippi State makes veterans’ education more accessible, affordable

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

The number of veterans enrolled at Pellissippi State Community College this semester is up 15 percent from spring and 20 percent from last fall, and the institution has put in place a number of resources to make their experience a success.

In anticipation of the increase—which stems in part from changes in benefits in the GI Bill—the college convened a work group to study services provided to veterans and learn how to better coordinate programs for students in and discharged from the military.

The first action the group took was to create a brochure targeting the special needs of veterans. The brochure outlines the resources available at Pellissippi State to current and former military personnel. It explains how to apply for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs educational benefits. It also details services offered in the areas of admissions, financial aid and veterans’ assistance, assistance with a disability, and personal and career counseling.

“Creating the brochure is a first step,” said Rebecca Ashford, the college’s vice president of Student Success and Enrollment Management.

The college has a full-time VA certifying official, Sharon Shastid, to support student veterans. Shastid works in Pellissippi State’s Financial Aid Office.

The college also distributed a survey to veterans this semester to learn what their experiences have been at Pellissippi State and what additional services need to be provided. Survey results continue to come in and be assessed.

Three student advising sessions aimed specifically at helping veterans have been conducted on the Pellissippi Campus, and a fourth is scheduled at the Division Street Campus on Friday, Nov. 6. A veterans’ student organization has recently been formed as well.

Pellissippi State is also one of four Tennessee community colleges participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.

The program helps pay tuition and fees that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate rate, which, in Tennessee, is $6,850 at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Because the costs of attending Pellissippi State are among the lowest in the state, the program benefits mainly veterans who pay out-of-state tuition and fees.

Qualifying students receive $1,000 per semester, with $500 coming from the VA and the other $500 from Pellissippi State. (The funding doesn’t cover the international fee.) The money covers 25 veterans each semester on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about how Pellissippi State can help with veterans’ needs, call or e-mail Shastid, (865) 694-6472 or seshastid@pstcc.edu.

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‘Pellissippi Preview’ at Pellissippi State offers information, scholarship drawing

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Prospective students and their parents can obtain college information and meet face to face with faculty, and the students have a chance at winning a $250 scholarship, all in the same evening.

On Tuesday, November 10, Pellissippi State Community College hosts Pellissippi Preview, a free event designed to bring students and their parents on campus to learn more about the school and its programs. Attendees will be able to talk with faculty members about majors and course offerings. They also will have the opportunity to receive information about scholarships and other financial aid.

High school seniors who attend are eligible for a drawing for a $250 scholarship awarded by the Pellissippi State Foundation.

Pellissippi Preview takes place in the Clayton Performing Arts Center on the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road. Event hours are 6-8 p.m. Prospective students are asked to R.S.V.P. at www.pstcc.edu/admissions/prsvp.html.

For additional information, contact Enrollment Services at (865) 694-6400.

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Pellissippi State offers more work-study positions

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

This fall Pellissippi State Community College will have additional work-study positions and more money for Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants available for all students who qualify.

It’s not too late to apply, says Paul McKinney, director of Financial Aid. The priority deadline for both need-based programs is this Friday, July 31.

Work-Study is designed to help students meet their educational expenses through meaningful employment. The Financial Aid Office assists students who qualify find part-time work. Jobs vary throughout the college and range from assisting in various departments to working in the library or tutoring children in the America Read’s program.

SEOG funds are offered on a first-come first-served basis. They provide funds for students who have financial need, as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and their eligibility for other types of financial assistance. Because it is grant money, the SEOG usually does not have to be repaid. Awards range from $100 to $1,500 per academic year for eligible Pellissippi State students.

Interested students should apply by first going to the Web site www.fafsa.ed.gov and completing the FAFSA.

Once the FAFSA has been completed online, students can download the Work-Study forms at www.pstcc.edu/financial_aid, then return them completed to the Financial Aid Office on the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road.

Since the SEOG is tied directly to the FAFSA, no additional application is required.

For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office at (865) 694-6565.

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Pellissippi State sees older students benefit from HOPE Scholarship

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Older students are going back to college, and for students who qualify, the Tennessee Education Lottery, or HOPE, Scholarship is an excellent resource to help pay for school.

Pellissippi State Community College has seen a rise in the number of “nontraditional” students—those who are 25 years and older—who are enrolling: an increase of 273 from fall 2008 to spring 2009.

The HOPE Scholarship may pay $2,000 a year toward their tuition, not to exceed the cost of attendance.

To qualify, students must be at least 25 years old, says Paul McKinney, director of Financial Aid at Pellissippi State. They must have been out of college for at least two years or be entering as a first-time freshman, they may never have earned a bachelor’s degree, and they must have an adjusted gross household income of $36,000 or less.

Qualified applicants must attempt 12 semester hours and have at least a 2.75 grade point average before receiving HOPE money. Students are required to maintain continuous enrollment while trying to qualify for the scholarship.

“We have seen students who have been out of school for 20 years who come back and get the scholarship,” said LeChelle Davenport, a Financial Aid coordinator at the college.

“This is an excellent way to fund their education. Students can use financial aid (if eligible) or pay out of pocket to get started that first semester.”

For information about the HOPE Scholarship, as well as Pellissippi State Foundation scholarships and other financial aid, contact the Financial Aid Office at (865) 694-6565 or visit www.pstcc.edu/financial_aid.

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Pellissippi State to host Information Night series

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

Interested in learning about opportunities for pursuing an education at Pellissippi State Technical Community College? Then be sure to take advantage of the Information Night series scheduled at the college’s three satellite locations: Blount County Center, Magnolia Avenue Campus and Division Street Campus.

Prospective students will have the chance to find out about Pellissippi State and its many programs, obtain tips on being a successful student, take a campus tour and discuss advising, financial aid and registration with representatives from the college. Services for Students With Disabilities also will be on hand.

The series is scheduled as follows:

May 14, 5:30-7 p.m., Blount County Center, 1010 Middlesettlements Road, Alcoa

May 18, 5:30-7 p.m., Magnolia Avenue Campus, 1610 E. Magnolia Ave.,Knoxville

May 19, 5:30-7 p.m., Division Street Campus, 3435 Division St., Knoxville

Pellissippi State has more than 150 degree options. Career/Technical programs prepare students who earn the two-year Associate of Applied Science degree to enter the workforce directly after college. College Transfer programs, for students who want to continue their education at a four-year school, offer the Associate of Arts, Associate of Science or Associate of Science in Teaching degree.

Classes at Pellissippi State are available in the day and evening; through mini and full-term session; via the Web, videotape and classroom instruction. The college also offers a Dual Enrollment program for high school students who wish to earn high school and college credit simultaneously.

For additional information regarding the Information Night series, contact the assistant dean at each location: Holly Burkett, Blount County Center, (865) 981-5300 or hlburkett@pstcc.edu; Rosalyn Tillman, Magnolia Avenue Campus, (865) 329-3100 or rtillman@pstcc.edu; Mike North, Division Street Campus, (865) 971-5200 or mnorth@pstcc.edu.

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Get expert financial aid help at Feb. 22 Pellissippi State event

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

Feb. 12, 2009

Pellissippi State Technical Community College sponsors “College Goal Sunday” 2-4 p.m. Feb. 22.

The college’s Financial Aid Office will be available to help the families of college-bound students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the form required for students seeking grants, scholarships and loans. Staff also will have information on the college’s financial aid resources.

Pellissippi State is one of the many schools across the U.S. sponsoring College Goal Sundays.

“It’s a nationwide event,” said Paul McKinney, director of Financial Aid at Pellissippi State. “It’s done same day, same time across the country. It’s been well-received since we started participating several years ago.”

The event is in the Educational Resources Center on the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road.

For more information, visit www.collegegoalsundaytn.org or call Pellissippi State’s Financial Aid Office at (865) 694-6566.

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Financial Aid and Scholarship Night Jan. 29 at Pellissippi State

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Jan. 21, 2009

Get the information you need about paying for college at Financial Aid and Scholarship Night, Jan. 29, at Pellissippi State Technical Community College.

The information night takes place 6-7:30 p.m. in the Clayton Performing Arts Center, located on the Pellissippi Campus on Hardin Valley Road. Parents and high school seniors are invited to attend the free event. Refreshments will be served.

College staff will be on hand to provide information about college costs, financial aid and scholarship opportunities at Pellissippi State. Information also will be available concerning the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which determines eligibility for government grants and loans as well as the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship.

Financial Aid and Scholarship Night is also an opportunity to pick up an application for Pellissippi State Foundation scholarships.

Students who attend will be entered for a chance to win one of two $250 scholarships awarded by the Foundation to attend Pellissippi State. Students must be present to win.

Participants are encouraged to pre-register for Financial Aid and Scholarship Night no later than Jan. 27. Call (865) 694-6400. For more information on the event, contact Priscilla Gitschlag at (865) 539-7258.

Registration for summer and fall semester begins April 6.

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