Nearly 740,000 Iowa Students Assisted with Low-Cost Student Loans over Past 32 Years

Des Moines, IA, June 30, 2010- The Iowa College Student Aid Commission announces that after 32 years of providing federal student loan guarantees through the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), it will no longer guarantee new federal student loans with first disbursements on or after July 1, 2010.

On March 30, 2010, President Barack Obama signed into law the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (HCERA, Public Law 111-152). The HCERA mandates federal student loans with first disbursements on or after July 1, 2010 be originated and fully disbursed under the Federal Direct Loan Program (FDLP). This law effectively eliminates FFELP, a public-private partnership between the federal government, guarantors and private lenders, that Congress created in 1965 to deliver and administer federally-guaranteed low-cost loans to students and parents.

"The Iowa College Student Aid Commission has been the designated guaranty agency for Iowa since 1978," said Karen Misjak, executive director of the Iowa College Student Aid Commission. "We are proud to have guaranteed over $10.8 billion in low-cost federal student loans to assist nearly 740,000 students pay for the cost of higher education." Misjak explained.

The Iowa College Student Aid Commission reduced the cost of borrowing for Iowa students and parents by waiving fees and paying the required one-percent Federal Default Fee on behalf of its borrowers. The Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA) required payment of the Federal Default Fee for all federal student loans guaranteed on or after July 1, 2006. Payment of this fee saved Iowa borrows nearly $21 million over the last 4 years. Prior to July 1, 2006, Iowa College Aid waived the one-percent guarantee fee allowed to help guaranty agencies cover costs associated with insuring student and parent loans.

Although no new FFELP loans with first disbursements on or after July 1, 2010 can be made, Iowa College Aid will continue to provide exemplary service to students, parents, schools and lenders on its previously disbursed FFELP loans.

Going forward, Iowa College Aid will continue to work toward increasing college access and making an education beyond high school a possibility for all Iowans. Iowa College Aid continues to administer nearly $59 million in state-funded student aid programs; administer the GEAR UP Iowa program that seeks to foster a college-going culture among low-income students in Iowa; develop and enhance the I Have a Plan Iowa statewide community web portal that assists Iowans as they explore education and career options; serve as the state-designated administrator of the U.S. Department of Education's College Access Challenge Grant that seeks to significantly increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education; as well as serves as a resource for financial literacy, default prevention and aversion, student aid regulatory and compliance topics, and student loan collections and rehabilitation. To learn more about how these programs and services help Iowa families plan, prepare and pay for college, contact the Iowa College Aid Information Service Center at 877-272-4456 or visit www.IowaCollegeAid.gov.

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The Scott County Historical Society is hosting an Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social on Tuesday, July 20th from 5pm until 7:30pm at the Historic Summit Church at Utica Ridge Rd and Blackhawk Trail (3.6 mi north of 53rd St).

Join us for Ice Cream with Toppings and homemade desserts!  Also, Sloppy Joes and Hot Dog meals will be available.

Adults (over 12):

• Dessert, Ice Cream & Drink... $ 3.00
• with Sloppy Joe Meal .............. $ 5.00
• with Hot Dog Meal.................... $ 4.50

Kids (ages 5 to 12)

• Dessert, Ice Cream & Drink... $ 1.50
• with Sloppy Joe Meal .............. $ 3.50
• with Hot Dog Meal.................... $ 3.00

Kids under 5............................. F R E E

Desserts only (to go) .............. $ 1.00

Proceeds to benefit preservation of Historic Summit Church

The cities of Bettendorf, Rock Island, Moline and Davenport have passed resolutions supporting a Quad City Poet Laureate and designating Quad City Arts for the selection of this prestigious office. The current laureate is Dale Haake and he has served our area well. Now it is time to name another Poet Laureate and we need your help Quad Cities! Please nominate the poet that you feel should be the next laureate.

The Quad City Poet Laureate will serve a two-year term and will give a reading of his or her work in each of the six counties in Iowa and Illinois represented by Quad City Arts, The poet laureate must be a resident of Clinton, Muscatine or Scott counties in Iowa or Henry, Mercer or Rock Island counties in Illinois. Nominations will be accepted until August 15, 200. An official announcement will be made in September, with the installation of the Quad City Poet Laureate on October 12, 2010 at 5pm at Quad City Arts' Annual Meeting.

To nominate someone to be the Quad City Poet Laureate, please go to our website Quadcityarts.com and fill out the nomination forms. Briefly tell us why you think this person should be Poet Laureate (200 words or less, please.) We will contact them for work samples & a statement explaining what they would do as Poet Laureate if they were so named. Nominations can be dropped off at Quad City Arts or mailed to QC Poet Laureate Nominations, Tracy White, 1715 2nd Ave. Rock Island, IL 61201, or email to tracer@iowatelecom.net by August 15th, 2010.

All Quad City Arts programs are partially supported by Festival of Trees; Quad City Arts Partners; and operating grants from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs. Quad City Arts is a nonprofit local arts agency dedicated to the growth and vitality of the Quad City region through the presentation, development, and celebration of the arts and humanities

If you or someone you know is a devoted family caregiver, you understand the stress that comes with caring for a senior loved one each day. What better way to relax than to cruise your cares away?

The Home Instead Senior Care® network is sponsoring a free, five-day cruise for one lucky caregiving hero. Or, if you nominate a friend or family member for this relaxing getaway, you could be eligible to win a laptop and camcorder.

Just go to http://cruise.caregiverstress.com/ before the August 15, 2010, deadline to learn more about the contest and to nominate yourself or someone else for the drawing, which will be conducted August 16, 2010.

The five-night, six-day Caregiver Cruise in the Caribbean for one caregiver and one guest is scheduled for Jan. 3 to Jan. 8, 2011. In addition to the cruise, valued at up to $4,200, the winning recipient and guest will receive 40 hours of free care from a Home Instead Senior Care professional CAREGiverSM for their senior loved one while they are away.