HEAR Scholarship Foundation

Some back to college stats and facts from Forbes.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/student-resources/back-to-school/

This report from PBS states that college enrollment by young men has been declining over the past decade. For young men of color the statistics are worse.

We certainly see that at HEAR as well. We get many more applications from young women year on year. While we try and have an even split in our classes, sometimes it's impossible!

The question is, how to solve the problem?

Why fewer young men are choosing to pursue college degrees College enrollment among young Americans has been declining over the past decade. That decrease is mostly driven by fewer young men pursuing degrees. A Pew Research study finds about one million fewer young men now enrolled in college compared to 2011. Geoff Bennett took a closer look at why for our...

HEAR has always said that a college education should be available to all who want to achieve it, regardless of their background and financial situation.

This article published by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, supported by JPMorganChase, confirms that it will become ever more valuable in the next decade.

By 2031, more "good jobs" will require bachelor's degrees Despite public skepticism that a college degree isn’t worth the cost, projections show that a bachelor’s degree will significantly increase the odds of getting a good-paying job in the future.

We are in need of mentors with a medical or biological sciences background to help support our incoming class of freshman this coming fall. Have you ever thought about becoming a mentor? Would you like to learn more about what it entails?
Please consider volunteering with us to ensure our scholars have a successful college career.

Click here to learn more about the process -https://www.hearfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Mentoring-Brochure-July-2024.pdf

You can also learn more about us on our website: www.hearfoundation.org

HEAR Scholarship Foundation | HEAR PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND A COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAM TO LOW-INCOME CHICAGOLAND HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO DEMONSTRATE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY, AND PERSONAL INTEGRITY IN THEIR PURSUIT OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION. Donate To Our College Success Program Now! With deep sadness, b...

Sharing information from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission...

Virtual Meetings with ISACorps Members for FAFSA Completion – If there any recent high school graduates who are in need of assistance with completing their FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid, you can now book a virtual one-on-one meeting with an ISACorps member using the Teams Bookings page (link is below).

You can book a virtual meeting up to 7 days in advance, and there’s an option to meet with a Spanish-speaking ISACorps member. Although the target audience is recent high school graduates, ISAC welcomes anyone needing assistance.

ISAC Booking: Get help with your FAFSA! - You can book online! You can now book and manage appointments using our booking page.

🌈 Happy Pride Month from all of us at the HEAR Scholarship Foundation! Let's celebrate diversity, equality, and love in all its beautiful forms. 🏳️‍🌈

With deep sadness, but also gratitude for a beautiful life well lived, we share the news of the passing of our beloved Director Emeritus James "Jim" Weiss.

Jim was a kind, wise, and loving man of profound faith and active goodwill. His legacy lives on, and will continue to spread, in young scholars all over the country. There would be no HEAR Family without him.

Our deepest sympathy goes to Jim's family. May his memory be a blessing.

James Weiss Obituary - South Dennis, MA Celebrate the life of James Weiss, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of Doane Beal & Ames.

Meet the HEAR Class of 2028!

These students impressed our interview committee and we are delighted to welcome them into this year's freshman class of scholars. Click here to learn more - https://conta.cc/3z8xHtn

We're now actively recruiting mentors to help support this class. If you, or anyone you know is interested in giving back to the community, this is an ideal opportunity! Click here to apply - https://www.hearfoundation.org/mentoring-program/resources/hear-mentor-application-form/

HEAR Scholarship Foundation - Please Welcome The HEAR Class Of 2028 Interested in becoming a mentor? We are now recruiting for our new class       Thursday, June 19th, 2024 Dear Vera, We've been a little quiet here at the HEAR Scholarship Foundation, but it isn't beca

Today we celebrate the end of slavery in the United States and honor the strength and resilience of Black communities. Let’s take this day to reflect on our history, recognize the progress we’ve made, and commit to continuing the fight for equality and justice.

HEAR is committed to continuing to support communities who need our support to help build a brighter future.

🌟 **Thank You, Mentors!** 🌟

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible mentors for their generous volunteering. Your time and expertise are invaluable to our community!

**Benefits to Our Mentors:**
- **Personal Growth:** Gain new perspectives and enhance your leadership skills.
- **Networking:** Connect with like-minded professionals.
- **Fulfillment:** Experience the joy of making a positive impact.

Thank you for making a difference! 🌟🙌

Important new review highlights the many benefits of volunteering – The Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring Important new review highlights the many benefits of volunteeringMay 23, 2024/in Mentoring Research/by Megyn Jasman Nichol, B., Wilson, R., Rodrigues, A., & Haighton, C. (2023). Exploring the effects of volunteering on the social, mental, and physical health and well-being of volunteers: An umbrella...

If you’re in a position to further support a HEAR Scholar in her philanthropic efforts, please consider helping Ariela achieve her fundraising goal.

https://fundraise.islamicreliefcanada.org/campaign/support-syrian-and-uygur-orphans-refugees-in-turkiye-with-ariela-2152 =6981

🎓 Attention students applying for financial aid! 🎓

Navigating the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form can feel like a maze, but here's a handy tip: Most of the questions on the FAFSA form are based on your situation as of the day you sign the application.

However, there are moments where you might need to make adjustments to the information you provided. Whether it's a change in family circumstances or a mistake that needs correcting, knowing when and how to update your FAFSA is crucial for securing the aid you need for your education.

Stay informed, and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about updating your FAFSA information. Your future is worth investing in! 💼💡

A Heartfelt Thank You To Our Amazing Enrichment Committee!

We want to extend a huge THANK YOU to all our dedicated volunteers who played a vital role in bringing joy to our scholars! They sent out over 100 care packages.

The smiles on the faces of our scholars speak volumes about the impact of your efforts. Your commitment to making a difference in their lives is truly remarkable and deeply appreciated.

Your support means the world to us! 🙏❤️

Every Spring, our amazing enrichment committee sends a care package to all the scholars in our program. This year, we will be sending almost 100 packages to students throughout the United States.

If you'd like to help to put a smile on some of our students' faces as they head towards end of the year exams, please consider making a purchase from our Amazon wishlist. All purchases are tax deductible and we would be happy to send you an acknowledgement. Please make sure any items are delivered by March 24th.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1SJPY82M4F4GY?ref_=wl_share

Thank you for your consideration and for helping to fuel our schoalrs!

A new question has been added to the common app by certain colleges in an effort to understand aspects of student's lives that may impact their college application beyond sports, activities etc., hopefully capturing a wider view of students' lives.

Initiated by a small number of institutions in the fall of 2022, and using a wider body in the fall of 2023, data will be compiled in the coming years in an effort to help level the admissions process playing field for applicants of different backgrounds.

Sick parents? Caring for siblings? Colleges experiment with asking applicants how home life affects them - The Hechinger Report Many students cannot list extracurricular activities on their college applications because they spend their after-school time with family responsibilities or jobs.

Due to FAFSA delays this year, some colleges and universities have extended their enrollment deadlines and financial aid priority dates for students planning to enroll in the fall of 2024.

We would like to thank our friends at IllinoisCAN & The Joyce Foundation for sharing the following lists of organizations that are providing timely data on college enrollment and financial aid deadlines.

Please note that these are not exhaustive lists, and they are being updated regularly.

American Council on Education: Extended College Enrollment/Financial Aid Deadline Tracker - https://www.acenet.edu/Policy-Advocacy/Pages/Extending-Enrollment-and-Financial-Aid-Deadlines.aspx?utm_campaign

National Association for College Admission Counseling: Enrollment Deadlines Tracker -
https://www.nacacnet.org/enrollment-deadlines-directory-2024/

Enrollment Deadlines Directory 2024 - National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Due to FAFSA delays this year, some colleges and universities have changed their enrollment deadlines and financial aid priority dates for students planning to enroll in the fall of 2024. NACAC created this public directory of fall 2024 enrollment commitment deadlines submitted by member institution...

The HEAR team enjoyed a day of learning and networking at an Illinois Education and Career Success Networking event last week. What made it even sweeter was meeting HEAR Class of 2023 Graduate Ines, who is now working there.

Sharing from our friends at the National Scholarship Provider's Association....

A FAFSA Workaround Opens Aid Access for Students from Mixed-Status Families
The US Department of Education (ED) has announced a resolution to the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission issues for students from mixed-status families.

A workaround was introduced allowing students with parents lacking a Social Security number (SNN) to complete federal financial aid forms, addressing a major obstacle in the new FAFSA form. This solution comes after reports highlighted the glitch's impact on thousands of eligible students. The workaround permits leaving the SNN field blank for now and manually entering income and tax details and aims to assist students in meeting imminent deadlines for state, college, or scholarship applications.

However, caution is advised regarding the use of the online workaround, especially for students in "first-come, first-served" states where aid appropriations may run out early. Students who have submitted a paper FAFSA should NOT use the workaround.

The nine-step workaround process will result in an incomplete FAFSA, requiring correction and signing by contributors without a SSN in March. After the completion of this step, a new and accurate FAFSA Submission Summary with a Student Aid Index (SAI) will be generated for the students and the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) will be sent to colleges.

ED also announced forthcoming enhancements to the process for students without a SSN to establish their studentaid.gov login/FSA ID for online applications. Notably, applicants unable to complete the TransUnion identity verification will receive an automated email with a case number and instructions. This adjustment aims to reduce wait times for assistance calls and streamline document submission. Additionally, more personnel, including Spanish-speaking representatives, will be added to the call center aiding with studentaid.gov login/FSA ID creation.

Link to the workaround:https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.ncan.org/resource/resmgr/better_fafsa/How_To_Submit_the_202425_FAF.pdf

cdn.ymaws.com

We have extended the deadline to apply to our scholarship program by another week.

Submissions will now be accepted through Sunday, February 25th @ 9pm. We encourage everyone who has started their application to go online and complete it.

Some more advice if you are still unsure of what information you can upload as an alternative to FAFSA has been emailed to all students who have an incomplete application.

More information and advice can be found here: https://www.scholarshipproviders.org/page/blog_february_12_2024

We encourage you to complete your application. You will not be penalized if you are unable to provide a complete financial picture.

Counselors / education partners - please reach out to students who you know are applying to our scholarship program and encourage them to complete the process.

Questions? We are here to help: [email protected]

FAFSA Delays and Glitches Create Barriers for Students - National Scholarship Providers Association One glance at the lengthy list of 2024-2025 FAFSA Issue Alerts (and the correspondingly short list of resolved issues) gives a clear indication that the rollout of the Better FAFSA has been rocky at best. The overhauled version of the FAFSA has among its promised benefits a significant increase in t...

A hot topic of debate at the moment... whether to push the college enrollment deadline from May 1st to June or later, due to issues with FAFSA this year. Some universities have already said they will, many others are considering it.

At HEAR, we can tell you, this issue is causing us headaches too!! The FAFSA is a crucial way for us to assess financial need in our 700+ applications. Without it, we are finding it almost impossible to determine eligibility. We have already delayed our closing date for applications this year to provide applicants with more time to find a work around to show eligibility.

Fingers crossed a resolution is found soon!

Colleges Must Extend Enrollment Deadlines after FAFSA Delays Stulberg: With financial aid info coming late this year, students like mine will have to rush making the most important decision of their lives.

We'd like to wish our newest board director Pablo Esparza a very Happy Birthday!

Pablo graduated from Dickinson College with a BA in International Business & Management and a double minor in Spanish and Economics. He now runs his own business in Chicago.

Pablo became a Board Director in January. We are excited to hear his insights and advice on how best we can continue to support our scholars.in He is the first HEAR Graduate to join the board ranks!

PSA: The Illinois Student Assistance Commission offers free workshops and one on one help with FAFSA issues for students and parents. Their help is extremely useful. For more information, click here:

Illinois Student Assistance Commission The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is the trusted source of college planning information for Illinois students and their parents, as well as the higher education community professionals who serve them (counselors, financial aid administrators, and lenders).

Get the latest news from HEAR - check out our newsletter - https://conta.cc/49kSKWA

Monthly Update - February is here already! HEAR Scholars performed well in the fall. Application deadline extended.       Monday, February 5th, 2024 Dear Vera, Time is flying. February is here already, along with lighter mornings and longer da

The deadline to apply for our scholarship program has been extended through Sunday, February 18th.
Questions? Email:[email protected].
Apply online here: https://www.hearfoundation.org/scholarship/apply-now/

Sharing an interesting article regarding mentors and college students. "Mentors help college students build the foundation they need to thrive in their professional lives. In fact, college graduates who had a mentor while they were students are almost twice as engaged with their professional work as those who didn't have a mentor, according to the 2018 Gallup Alumni Survey."

We are grateful to our team of volunteers who help support our students on an ongoing basis!

College Is the Right Time to Find a Mentor Being a college student is a great time to identify a mentor who will guide you in your professional life. There are several times during college when having a mentor can be especially helpful.

We are aware that last minute changes to the FAFSA mean that many of this year's applicants to HEAR's College Success Program will not have their files available by the deadline.

For those of you that are in this situation, please simply write 0.00 in the SAI/EFC field in the application form. In place of your FAFSA files, please upload a document with a brief overview of your financial situation.

Information that helps us determine need includes:
- parents' tax returns
- annual household income
- free lunch and/or pell grant eligibility
- general description of your family's financial situation and how it affects your college plans.

We realize that some of these items are quite personal. Please be assured that your information will be treated with complete confidentiality.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at [email protected]

A reminder to all high school seniors within the Chicagoland area who wish to apply for HEAR's Scholarship and College Success Program. The deadline for application submissions is Sunday, February 11th, 2024. Applications can be made through our online portal at: https://webportalapp.com/sp/login/hearfoundation_scholarshipprogram_24. Please check our website for more information and to review our eligibility criteria.

Questions? Email: [email protected]

A first semester review from HEAR Scholar Jamariya S., Class of 2027, Howard University.

"This semester was extremely eye-opening for me. At the beginning of the semester, I wondered if I had chosen the right school for me, but as the semester went on and I found my footing, I realized there was no better place for me. I am a member of the Ladies of the Quad Social Club, serving as Chapter President, Scholars of Finance, BLK Capital Management, the Howard University Golf Club, and the Howard University Consulting Club. I was accepted into the Girls Who Invest Online Intensive Program. I was also accepted into the Charles Schwab Wealth Management Program here at Howard, where I will gain access to the world of wealth management."

We are so delighted that Jamiriya settled in and found her way! These are the stories we love to hear about!

This article is spot on! Read it and feel confident that when you support HEAR's College Success Program, you are helping to support low-income students on their college journey. The students in HEAR's program also benefit from additional support structures that ensure academic success. Our 98% graduation rate confirms that!

Ed Donors Take Note: Scholarships Have to Amount to More Than Just Feel-Good Stories | Inside Philanthropy According to guest author Mike Nylund, scholarships as they’re currently awarded tend to exacerbate inequities in higher ed. His argument: Donors should adopt a sharp focus on students with clear financial need.