Spring Quarter 2012
Issue 3
Turning Roadblocks Into Opportunities at North Central State College
Inside this Issue
The TRIO Student Support Services program participated in
National TRIO Day through a service project with Mansfield
Memorial Homes Adult Rotary Day Care on February 15. Students,
staff and volunteers from NCSC played games with the residents as
well as cleaning and organizing cabinets. A special thanks to Janny
Nauman and Kimberly Lybarger for taking the time to assist with
this project.
Students shared the following comments about the day: “It was a
nice experience.” “Spending time with the clients was as much fun
for me as it was for them, and definitely a rewarding experience.”
“It was a great time.” “I enjoyed the interaction with the residents
and being part of bringing the outside community into their
environment.”
Several boxes of items were donated to the facility by NCSC
students, staff and friends. Everything was greatly appreciated by
the residents and staff at Mansfield Memorial Homes. Many
thanks to everyone who shared in this endeavor!
Below are pictures from our “Day of Caring.”
10 Financial Tips for College Students .......2
What’s In Your FICO Score ........................2
Student Snapshot .......................................3
Dean’s List ..................................................3
TRIO Facts & Data ......................................4
Too Much Debt?.........................................5
Searching for Scholarships .........................5
Upcoming TRIO Events ...............................6
(Be sure to check out the “Hidden Trivia”
question on page 5 and call the office,
419-755-9015 with the correct answer to
receive a surprise.)
MISSION STATEMENT
The TRIO Student Support Services program
provides and coordinates a variety of
educational support services for students
who are first generation, low-income and/or
students with disabilities. The purpose of the
program is to increase college retention,
graduation and transfer rates to four-year
institutions for eligible members.
VISION STATEMENT
Our vision is to encourage college degree
attainment by cultivating and inspiring
personal and academic excellence in
participants.
Photo at left—
pictured left to right:
Ashley Benson,
Monica Durham,
Quanita Reeves,
Rob Bailey, Cynthia
Thompson, Sharon
Baker, Lorie Levy,
Jill Kubasek
STAFF
Ashley C. Benson
Project Director
Monica Durham
Project Advisor
Jill Kubasek
Administrative Assistant
Page 2
10 Financial Tips for College Students
by Sharon Baker, 2nd year student in TRIO SSS
1. Be careful with credit: Research a credit card or loan before applying and make sure you are getting
a low interest rate. Also, be sure to read the fine print and watch for hidden fees.
2. Make a budget and stick to it: Figure out how much your monthly income is and budget your bills
and spending accordingly.
3. Use your student ID: Take advantage of all the savings that come with being a student and having a
student ID. If you don’t have a student ID, get one as soon as possible!
4. Save on textbooks: Rent whenever possible from your school or from places like
www.collegebookrenter.com. If you can’t rent, then buy your textbooks used. Be sure to check out
websites like Amazon, Craigslist, and www.half.com.
5. Know what you owe: Know how much student loan debt you owe at all times. Only borrow what is
absolutely necessary to cover tuition and books after you have exhausted all other options such as
grants and scholarships.
6. Coupons: They aren’t just for your mom anymore! Clipping coupons is for anyone trying to save
money and stick to a budget. So grab a pair of scissors and start clipping!
7. Protect yourself from fraud: Young adults are the most likely to fall victim to identity theft and
fraud. Be vigilant in protecting your personal and financial information.
8. Look for the best deal on checking: Look for a bank or credit union that offers good interest rates
with low fees. Make sure to ask if they offer any special accounts for students.
9. Start saving now: Open a savings account and set aside a little something each month. A little can go
a long way towards having something set aside for a rainy day.
10. Set a spending limit: Just because you have money left over after paying your bills and buying the
necessities doesn’t mean you have to blow it. Budget in a specific amount for “entertainment” and
put anything left over in your savings account.
What’s in your FICO® score?
FICO Scores are calculated from a lot of different credit data in your credit
report. This data can be grouped into five categories as outlined below. The
percentages in the chart reflect how important each of the categories is in
determining your FICO score. These percentages are based on the importance
of the five categories for the general population. For particular groups - for
example, people who have not been using credit long - the importance of these
categories may be somewhat different.
“Before you can really
start setting financial
goals, you need to
determine where you
stand financially.”
-David Bach
Financial Author
Remember to meet
with your TRIO
Advisor, Ashley or
Monica, in order to
remain in good
standing with the
TRIO program.
Source: http://www.myfico.com/crediteducation/whatsinyourscore.aspx
121 Kee Hall | 419.755.9015 | [email protected] | http://www.ncstatecollege.edu/student-services/trio
Page 3
TRIO Student Snapshot
Student: Robert Zapior
Personal/Academic Goal: My personal goal is to
get a job out in Glendale, CA at the Walt Disney
Studio working in their Animation Department. My
academic goal is to make it through the next 12 weeks
so that I can graduate and then it is off to a new college.
Major: Digital Media Technology, Video Animation
What are three words which describe you? Passionate, inspiring, and
caring
What is your dream vacation? I would like to go back out to Hawaii
again or I would like to go to Poland to try to see where my great
grandparents lived.
Who is your role model and why? My role model would be Kristen
Arnold because even from the beginning when I started college she
was always there to guide me through whenever I had a problem.
Favorite Quote/Saying: “Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long
as there’s a dream there is hope, and as long as there is hope there is
joy in living.” —Anonymous
If you were a cartoon character, which one would you be and why?
I would have to say Bugs Bunny. I am fun, friendly, and popular. I am a
real crowd pleaser. I would have probably been out on the town my
share of times, yet I come home with the values that my mother taught
me. Marriage and children are important to me, but only after I have
fun. Don’t let the people I please influence me to stray.
Favorite Book: Harry Potter Collection
In the Winter Quarter Robert completed the final series of the Strengths
Quest workshops. He discovered his five signature strengths: responsibility,
communication, adaptability, futuristic, and strategic.
Did you know?
Viola Davis, Academy Award nominee for
her role of Aibileen Clark in The Help, is a
TRIO Student Support Services and
Upward Bound program alumna. She was
introduced to acting during her time with
Upward Bound
and continues
to support the
organization as
a speaker and a
cofounder of an
endowment
fund (with her
sister).
Dean’s List
Winter Quarter 2012
Lana Allen
Noah Balawender
Amber Ferguson
Amy Fisher
Michael Gadd
Jaclyn Grimes
Leanna Hershey
Cheryl Linnean
Jason Massie
Senecca McCoy
Jody Niedermier
Katherine Pry
Margaret Tackett
Julian Wilson
Congratulations
TRIO Stars!
121 Kee Hall | 419.755.9015 | [email protected] | http://www.ncstatecollege.edu/student-services/trio
Page 4
for
Success
128 are first-generation and low-income, and/or disabled including disabled who are
also low-income
129 are in good academic standing
99 continued to the next academic year
135 received advice & assistance in postsecondary course selection
130 received information on and/or assistance with applying for Federal Student Aid
140 received education/counseling to improve financial and economic literacy
Within the first year of the program, 5 students have successfully completed their
associate degrees and transferred to a 4-year college or university
40 have made the Dean’s List during the year
43 received Grant Aid from the program totaling $30,000
What TRIO Student Support Services students are saying about the program:
"The program gives great information about scholarships and provides extra support
when a person is struggling."
"Their encouragement to stay positive and information on resources that are available."
“I believe it empowers people to do better and not feel alone in the college world.”
“Boosts your confidence and provides that extra little something needed for success.”
.71%
.71%
16.42%
77.14%
5.00%
Gender:
Male
Female
29.28%
70.71%
Age:
18 to 21
22 to 25
26 to 30
31 to 40
41 to 55
55 and above
Unknown
7.85%
17.14%
21.42%
30.00%
18.57%
2.14%
2.85%
Average GPA of program members is 2.887
121 Kee Hall | 419.755.9015 | [email protected] | http://www.ncstatecollege.edu/student-services/trio
Service
Ethnic Type:
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Asian
Black or African American
White
More than 1 race reported
Leadership
Strength
Of the 140 students North Central State College is funded to serve:
Success
Leadership
Service
TRIO Student Support Services
Strength
2010/2011 Program Year Facts & Data
Page 5
Five Things to Avoid if
You Have Too Much Debt
If you’re struggling with too much debt you’re not
alone. It seems as if the whole nation has a borrowing
hangover. For years, credit was easy and many people
became overextended. But, we now live in an era of
austerity and it’s time to get our affairs in order.
The five strategies you may want to avoid:
The first advice of experts in the field is to be sure you
don't make your situation worse by making common
mistakes. In particular try to avoid:
Paying only the minimum payment on your debt, as
this will result in the amount you owe actually
growing, and your problems will only become
worse.
Relying on friends and family, as this can damage
relationships with the most important people in
your life.
Unscrupulous credit counselors that demand cash
upfront, or high fees for help they promise, but
don't deliver.
Using new high-interest loans to pay off lower
interest rate loans--while it may be easier to just
have one payment, it will actually increase the
amount you have to pay back.
Declaring bankruptcy - avoid if you can, especially
when debt settlement may work for you.
Source: http://www.howlifeworks.com/
Searching for Scholarships?
ScholarshipExperts.com is a way to research
scholarships that you may qualify for with a database
of over 2.4 million scholarships worth over $14
billion. A full-time staff of researchers updates and
adds scholarship awards daily. Following are just two
of the scholarship opportunities:
All About Education Scholarship (deadline: April 30)
U.S. students 13 years of age or older
Respond (250 words max): “Tell us what you
think about the following statement: The key to
fixing our nation is all about education…”
Apply at: http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/
apply.htx
Campus Discovery $2,500 “Advice to Your High
School Self” Scholarship (deadline: July 31)
U.S. citizens enrolled at (or recently graduated
from) a 2 or 4 year college in the U.S.
Complete survey, respond (200 words): “Assume
you could go back in time and talk to yourself as a
high school senior. Knowing what you know now
about college life and making the transition, what
advice would you give yourself?”
Apply at: http://campusdiscovery.com/start
Source: www.ScholarshipExperts.com
Hidden Trivia:
When applying for a student loan you should only
borrow enough money to cover what two things?
Article: The Five Dumbest Things You Can Do If You Have Too Much Debt
On Thursday, March 22, TRIO students and staff visited Xavier University and the National Underground
Railroad Freedom Center. Below are some pictures from the trip.
121 Kee Hall | 419.755.9015 | [email protected] | http://www.ncstatecollege.edu/student-services/trio
Page 6
StrengthsQuest — Continuing Session
Friday, March 30
Friday, April 27
Friday, May 18 (Celebration Day)
Sessions: 12—2 PM
TRIO Awards Banquet
127 Kee Hall
127 Kee Hall
127 Kee Hall
Thursday, May 31; 4—6 PM
128 Kee Hall
Cleveland State University &
Greater Cleveland Aquarium
Etiquette Dinner
Date & Time: TBD
Thursday, April 19; 4—6 PM
Ed Pickens Café on Main
Commencement: June 8, 2012
(There will be 2 separate events which are listed below.)
(Graduation Petition must be received at the
Cashier’s Office with $35 fee by Friday,
April 6, 2012.)
Wednesday, May 9
Health & Public Service Career & Transfer Expo
Fall Semester begins August 20, 2012
Spring 2012 Career & Transfer Expo
Health Science Building; 10 AM—1 PM
Business & Technology Career & Transfer Expo
Kehoe Building in Shelby; 3—6 PM
To register for a scheduled event , TRIO students can:
Call the TRIO office (419.755.9015);
E-mail us at [email protected]; or
Stop by the TRIO office, 121 Kee Hall
“Financial education needs to become
a part of our national curriculum and
scoring systems so that it’s not just the
rich kids that learn about money...it’s
all of us.”
—David Bach
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NCSC TRIO Student Support Services
Student Support Services
North Central State College
2441 Kenwood Circle, P.O. Box 698
Mansfield, OH 44901-0698
121 Kee Hall | 419.755.9015 | [email protected] | http://www.ncstatecollege.edu/student-services/trio