News

Students at a Paying for College Bus Tour stop, Reading PA

Historically Black College and University Tour Aims to Increase the Number of African-American Students Going to College

FREE Workshops to be Held in Southern Communities
November 2-16

RESTON, Va., Nov. 1, 2002 —The Sallie Mae Fund, the charitable arm of Sallie Mae, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in five southern regions, today announced the launch of the American Dream: Paying for College tour. The tour consists of workshops, being conducted in five southern communities from November 2-16, that are designed to empower high school students and their parents and raise awareness that a college education is valuable, attainable, and affordable.

The American Dream:Paying for College tour workshops, being held on Historically Black College and University campuses, will cover a wide range of topics including: the benefits of continuing an education beyond high school; the affordability of college through various types of financial aid available (grants, scholarships, loans); and resources available to help families prepare for the college admissions process. Financial aid experts will be on-hand to answer their questions, and three future college students at each workshop will win a $500 scholarship to put towards the cost of their higher education.

“While 72 percent of African Americans graduate from high school, only 40 percent enroll in college and 15 percent receive degrees,” said Susan Porter, managing director, community outreach, Sallie Mae. “Through
The ‘American Dream: Paying for College Tour,’ the Fund hopes families will learn more about how to plan and pay for a higher education and be encouraged to pursue a higher education upon graduation from high school.”

“A major barrier for African-American students to access higher education is low awareness about the financial aid and admissions process,” said Fred Stennis, director, financial aid, Oakwood College. “The American Dream: Paying for College tour will go a long way to helping Historically Black Colleges and Universities assist our communities in understanding the whole process better.”

The American Dream: Paying for College tour will be conducting FREE workshops for families on the following Historically Black College and University campuses:

Location	Date	Time
Huntsville, AL Oakwood College, Business and Technology Building Auditorium	November 5	6:30 p.m.
Tuskegee, AL Tuskegee University, Pepsico Auditorium Student Union Building-Tompkins Hall	November 9	9:30 a.m.
Winston-Salem, NC Winston-Salem State University, Anderson Hall	November 9	9:00 a.m.
Daytona Beach, FL Bethune-Cookman College, Heyn Chapel in White Hall	November 16	9:00 a.m.

These workshops are open to the general public and individuals interested in attending should RSVP by calling (toll free) 800-625-6108 or logging on to find the next Paying for College workshop.

The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by Sallie Mae, achieves its mission—to increase access to a post–secondary education for America's students—by supporting programs and initiatives that help open doors to higher education, prepare families for their investment, and bridge the gap when no one else can. For more information visit www.salliemaefund.org.