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Higher Education Financial Services (cont.)
 
Computer Resources-HEFS Partnerships With Nonprofits
To increase awareness of applying for the DCTAG, DCLEAP, DC Adoption and DCASP through the DC OneApp, HEFS has expanded its effort to target more nonprofit organizations with a youth-based emphasis. Additionally, HEFS is developing a networking group for parents and is increasing the number of local facilities with computer labs so that applicants, without a computer, are able to complete their DC OneApp online application. For a listing of local facilities with computer labs visit the computer resources link below.
DC OneApp Outreach Events Calendar
To make the DC OneApp online application process a smooth and easy one, HEFS is conducting DC OneApp Instruction Sessions throughout the District. These sessions provide hands on assistance to applicants in completing their application. For a full listing of sessions, select the link below for the DC OneApp Outreach Events Calendar.
Financial Aid Resources-General
The Financial Aid Office at the school you plan to attend is also a good place to start your search for financial aid programs. The financial aid administrator can tell you about student aid available from the federal government, your state government, the school itself, and other sources. You can also find free information about student aid in the reference section of your local library (usually listed under student aid or financial aid). HEFS also provides these links to assist you in the search for aid:
Frequently Asked Questions
To make the DC OneApp online process a smooth one, HEFS provides a Frequently Asked Questions section that can also be accessed through the below link.
HEFS Staff
Applicants that submit their DC OneApp online should direct all questions to their assigned HEFS counselor as reflected on the HEFS Staff List below.
Hours of Operation
Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 5 pm. Effective June 2, 2008 through September 30, 2008, the HEFS hours of operation are as follows:
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Counselors are available to meet with clients between 8:30 am and 5 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, by appointment. Estimated wait-time for walk-in clients may be one hour or more during this busy period. Please contact your HEFS Counselor, found on the HEFS Staff List, to make an appointment.
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Tuesday and Thursday are application processing days. Counselors will not be available to meet or speak with clients.
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Applicants may hand-deliver supporting documents Monday through Friday. HEFS staff must provide receipts for required supporting documents submitted. If you do not receive a receipt for supporting documents submitted, please contact HEFS management as listed on the HEFS Staff List.
Note: All required supporting documents are due at the same time. For processing and efficiency reasons, HEFS no longer accepts documents on different days or at different times.
Mayor's Annual College Fair
On September 27 and 28, the Office the State Superintendent of Education’s (OSSE) Higher Education Financial Services (HEFS) partnered with the National Scholarship Service and the DC National Guard to host the 2nd Annual Mayor’s College Fair at the DC Armory. By collaborating with all of the education agencies in the District of Columbia: DC Public Schools, DC Public Charter Schools, and independent private and parochial schools, in an effort to provide District students access to the necessary information they need to get a higher education; the Mayor’s Annual College Fair is another way the Double The Numbers campaign is working to develop a college-going culture in the District and guides the OSSE Mission that the ‘District of Columbia residents are fully prepared for employment in the creative economy.'
The college fair, which was conducted in three sessions, targeted District of Columbia high school seniors to promote the goal of going to college. Over 150 colleges and universities nationwide, a host of non-profit organizations, and other advocates of higher education, attended the fair to support over 4,000 District of Columbia high school students in attendance. The fair was one of several events used to promote the District’s 1st Annual College Awareness Week; an effort supported by the Double the Numbers coalition (a diverse group consisting of the OSSE, the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, the DC Education Compact, DC public and charter schools and the DC College Access Program), the DC College Success Foundation, and other education stakeholders whose goal is to motivate DC students in becoming college ready to matriculate and graduate from college.
Private Scholarships
HEFS is dedicated to helping the District of Columbia residents explore additional financial resources to bridge the gap between the funding provided by DCTAG, DCLEAP, DC Adoption, DCASP and DC GEAR UP and the total expense of a higher education. To provide this support HEFS offers a Private Scholarship listing as an additional tool for financing a college education.
This listing offers District residents another tool to assist with financing their college education. To review the database of scholarships for DC resident visit the below link.
Mayoral Valedictorian Program (DC MVP)
The DC MVP is a locally funded financial aid grant designed to recognize, encourage and support public and public charter high school valedictorians in their pursuit of higher education. One-time discretionary grants in the amount of $1,000.00 are given directly to the student to cover incidental costs (e.g., fees, books, travel, personal expenses) associated with freshman year studies at an eligible Title IV college or university in the US, Guam or Puerto Rico.
To learn more about the DC MVP please contact Eda Rodriguez at 202-741-5526.
The DC Valedictorian Certification Form can be found at the below link.
- DC Valedictorian Certification Form*
The Posse Foundation
The Posse identifies, recruits, trains and sends culturally diverse teams of student-leaders to some of the top universities and colleges in the nation. Posse Scholars help address issues of diversity on their college campuses while serving as a support system to one another.
Posse DC is giving out 50 Leadership Scholarships to college, each worth over $100 thousand dollars. Visit the link below to learn more details on the Leadership Scholarship.
Eligible students will be high school seniors in fall 2008, live in the Washington Metropolitan area, demonstrate leadership abilities, academic promise, teamwork and a commitment to diversity. Selected scholars will attend a Posse DC partner college or university as part of a multi-cultural team from the DC area. Posse partner colleges and universities are:
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Bucknell University, located in Lewisburg, PA.
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Grinnell College, located in Grinnell, Iowa.
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Lafayette College, located in Easton, PA.
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Sewanee: The University of the South, located in Sewanee, TN.
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison, located in Madison, WI.
Students must be nominated by their High School Counselor, or a community based organization. All Nominations are due Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Prospective nominees and their families are invited to attend an open house Thursday, September 4, 2008 at THEARC located at 1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE, Washington DC, from 4-6:30 pm.
For further information, select The Posse Leadership Scholarships link below. You may also contact The Posse Foundation at (202) 293-3800 or visit the Posse website at the link below:
The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP)
The United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution in 1962 creating The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP), a national initiative to provide a yearly opportunity for students who demonstrate leadership abilities and rank academically in the top one percent of their class. The USSYP is designed to deepen students understanding of America ’s political processes and encourage them to consider careers in public service.
Two student leaders from each state, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Education Activity will become USSYP delegates. From March 7 through March 14, 2008 the delegates will visit Washington, DC and experience the United States government in action. Delegates will hear major policy addresses by Senators, cabinet members, officials from the Departments of State and Defense and directors of other federal agencies, as well as participate in a meeting with a Justice of the US Supreme Court. All transportation, hotel and meal expenses for the USSYP will be provided by the Hearst Foundation. Each delegate will also be awarded a $5,000 College Scholarship for four (4) year undergraduate studies. To learn more about the visit the USSYP website at the below link or contact Sirwalter Hemphill at (202) 741-5527.
Top 50 DCTAG Institutions-Student Retention
Ensuring that DC higher education grant recipients graduate from the post secondary institutions of their choice is of paramount concern to HEFS. HEFS has identified ways to ensure that students complete their education. HEFS is:
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Tracking DC grant recipients to determine graduation rates;
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Surveying current DC grant recipients to identify potential barriers for successful completion of college; and,
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Creating a comparison chart of affiliate schools and the services they offer to allow students to make informed choices about the schools they plan to attend (see below link).
Volunteer Opportunities
The DC OneApp Student Ambassador Program was designed to recruit DC high school students to help promote the DC OneApp. Since the DC OneApp is available online only, HEFS is engaging the community to help identify ways to address the needs of students without computer/Internet access.
Participants will receive training on the DC OneApp system and earn volunteer credit hours toward the District of Columbia Public School system's 100 hour graduation requirement. Students may earn between twenty-four (24) and thirty-two (32) hours of volunteer credit and will receive certificates of recognition for their volunteer efforts. Students can download the nomination form below, which is to be completed by the HS Principal, Assistant Principal, Teacher or Guidance Counselor.
The HEFS Advisory Board was established to improve and enhance service delivery and to increase the emphasis on educational standards and fund accountability of the programs offered.
The board, which consists of volunteer members, offers guidance to HEFS staff in areas such as:
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DC OneApp Enhancements;
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Program Outreach; and,
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Student Retention
Residents and community members are encouraged to serve as volunteers and work closely with our team to develop strategies to deal with issues relative to higher education and financial assistance for DC residents. To volunteer, please contact HEFS at Sylvia.Bailey-Charles@dc.gov. |
