May 14, 2013

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley said today that Olivia Fairfield of Coralville has received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for the 2013-2014 school year.

Fairfield is the daughter of Cathy and Clare John Fairfield.  She graduated last May from Iowa City West High School and has been attending the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School.  Fairfield is a volleyball player and participated in tennis and Students Against Destructive Decisions.

"Students work very hard for an opportunity to attend the service academies, and I wish Olivia Fairfield continued success," Grassley said.

Fairfield joins a number of other Iowa students who have been selected this year for admission to the U.S. service academies.  They are:

·         Nicholas Heth of Cedar Falls, Taylor Pluim of Sioux City, Jacob Romitti of Madrid, Cody Winkler of Keokuk, and Christopher M. Haijsman of McClelland have been appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy.

·         Orion Boylston and Bernard Forney of Ames and Matthew Lee and Jackson Peplow of Iowa City have been appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy.

·         Adam Bradley of Dubuque, Brett Morales of Davenport, Patrick Mullin of Cedar Rapids, Wilson Pingrey of Coon Rapids, and William Krone of Johnston have been appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

·         Michael Miller of Fairfield has been appointed to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

All of these students were among the Iowans Grassley nominated this year for appointments to the U.S. service academies.  Information about seeking nominations is posted at http://grassley.senate.gov/info/academy_nominations.cfm.

For more than 200 years, these academies have educated and trained individuals to lead and command the U.S. armed forces.

Bell earns bachelor of science in business administration

ANNVILLE, PA (05/14/2013)(readMedia)-- Cole J. Bell of Davenport, Iowa, was among more than 370 students to graduate from Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pa., Saturday, May 11. Commencement ceremonies, held in the LVC Gymnasium, included an address by Dr. Philip Benesch, associate professor of political science and winner of the 2012 Thomas Rhys Vickroy Award for teaching.

Benesch encouraged graduates to take hold of the courage that is instilled by a liberal arts education-courage in inquiry, courage in self-transformation, and political courage. "We should embolden [students] to question their teachers and to endeavor to contribute to a discipline that remains open to growth and open to innovation. This requires an intellectually courageous approach by the student for which a liberal-arts education...provides an ideal preparation... A liberal arts education must enhance the independent capacity of each student to situate him or herself in the world, transforming it while performing within it... Democracy necessitates the education of each citizen, so that he or she may play a part in checking the power of leaders and evaluating the multiple viewpoints available. It is here that a liberal art education is so useful."

Bell earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration. Bell is a graduate of North High School.

Lebanon Valley College® in Annville, Pa., welcomes 1,630 full-time undergraduates studying more than 30 majors, as well as self-designed majors. Founded in 1866, LVC has graduate programs in physical therapy, business, music education, and science education. Annville is 15 minutes east of Hershey and 35 minutes east of Harrisburg; Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore are within two hours. On the web at www.lvc.edu.

Financial Specialist Shares Ways to Help Your Child
While Protecting Your Retirement

From $20,000 to $65,000 a year - that's the tuition cost for one year of college, says John McDonough, a money expert who helps retirees and parents plan for their families' futures.

"For the 2012-2013 academic year, the average cost for an in-state public college is $22,261. A moderate budget for a private college averaged $43,289," says McDonough, CEO of Studemont Group College Funding Solutions, www.studemontgroup.com. "But for elite schools, we're talking about three times the cost of your local state school. Either way, your kid's higher education can easily shoot into six figures after four years."

Along with worrying about rising tuition prices, parents also fear for their own futures if their retirement savings are drained by children's college costs, McDonough says. Only 14 percent, for example, are very confident they'll have the money to live comfortably in retirement, he says, citing a 2012 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

"Families feel they're faced with conflicting goals, but there are numerous ways to pay for college while investing in your future retirement," says McDonough, who offers insights for parents to keep in mind while planning for their child's education:

• The ROI of a college education: At a time when so many American families are financially strapped, college is an especially stressful topic because parents know higher learning will help their kids succeed. College graduates earn 84 percent than those with only a high school diploma, according to Georgetown's Center on Education and the Workforce. Here is how earning breaks down over one's life time, based on education: a doctoral degree-holder will earn $3.3 million over a lifetime; $2.3 million is estimated for a college graduate; those with only a high school diploma can expect $1.3 million.

• Move retirement assets to qualify for grants: Most parents know about the 529 savings account, but that's not necessarily the best or only option. Reallocating your retirement assets, such as 401(k)s, can better position a child to qualify for grants and scholarships. This legal and ethical maneuvering may be the single most important factor when considering how to pay for college.

• Know your student's strengths and weaknesses: Consider independent and objective analysis of your future college student. Assessment might include a personality profile and a detailed search for a future career. Also think about a more nuts-and-bolts approach, including scholarship eligibility, SAT and ACT prep courses, review of admissions essays and an in-depth analysis of chances for enrollment in a student's top four choices of colleges.

• Make a checklist of financial aid forms: In order to maximize a fair price of higher education, remember there is plenty of data to review. McDonough recommends a checklist with a timeline and notable deadlines. Be ready to troubleshoot the "alphabet soup" of data forms: FAFSA - Free Application For Federal Student Aid; CSS profile - College Scholarship Service; SAR - Student Aid Report; and more. Think about this process as a second job, or find professional help you can trust.

About John McDonough

John McDonough is the managing member at Studemont Group, which is primarily focused on helping retirees gain peace of mind with unique market rescue and recovery programs. He is also founder, president and CEO of Studemont Group College Funding Solutions. His experience in the financial services industry includes managing partner at Granite Harbor Advisors in Houston and divisional vice president of AXA Equitable/AXA Advisors, the third largest insurance company in the world. McDonough is a member of the prestigious Forum 400, a qualifier at the Court of the Table qualifier for Million Dollar Round Table, an active member in National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors and Society of Financial Service Professionals, as well as American Association of Life Underwriters. He has completed the course work to sit for the Certified Financial Planner® professional designation exam from Rice University.

DAYTON, TN (05/13/2013)(readMedia)-- Lia Johnson of Davenport, IA, was among 187 graduates who received their diplomas in commencement exercises May 11 at Bryan College.

During the services the college awarded 19 Master's degrees, 60 Bachelor of Arts degrees, 107 Bachelor of Science degrees, and one Associate's degree. In addition, 13 members of the Bryan College Class of 1963 were presented Golden Anniversary diplomas in recognition of 50 years since their graduation.

Lia, daughter of Howard and Susan Johnson, received the Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, in liberal arts: arts and humanities option.

Bryan is a Christian liberal arts college offering two Master's degrees and Bachelor's degrees in 20 areas. The college has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report for 17 consecutive years as being among the Top Tier of Southern comprehensive colleges.