ROCK ISLAND, IL (07/19/2010)(readMedia)-- 864 students have been named to the Dean's List at Augustana College for the 2009-10 spring term. Students who have earned this academic honor have maintained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a four-point scale for courses taken during the term.  From our Quad Cities area, the following students have earned this honor:

• Peter Wessels from Bettendorf, IA, a junior majoring in advising business and accounting.
• Regina Jarrell from Davenport, IA, a junior majoring in art.
• Audrey Waner from Davenport, IA, a senior majoring in art.
• Alex Sieg from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in biochemistry.
• Katherine Voigt from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in biology.
• Joshua Woodham from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in biology.
• Rachel Shipley from Leclaire, IA, a senior majoring in business management and accounting.
• Samuel Alvarado from Davenport, IA, a senior majoring in chemistry.
• Adam DeSimone from Bettendorf, IA, a junior majoring in economics and math.
• Kelli Schledewitz from Davenport, IA, a senior majoring in teaching English.
• Megan Lonergan from Davenport, IA, a senior majoring in elementary education.
• Catherine Ziegler from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in English.
• Henry Stauffenberg from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in geology.
• Anthony Ash from Davenport, IA, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.
• Thomas Harris from Davenport, IA, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.
• Kelsey Lovaas from Davenport, IA, a first year majoring in liberal studies.
• Moselle Singh from Le Claire, IA, a first year majoring in liberal studies.
• Gaetano Iaccarino from Davenport, IA, a junior majoring in music performance-instrumental and anthropology.
• Jasmine Brooks from Davenport, IA, a sophomore majoring in political science.
• Alannah Golden from Davenport, IA, a sophomore majoring in pre-elementary education.
• Manisha Kumar from Davenport, IA, a sophomore majoring in pre-medicine and biology.
• Rayna Narvaez from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in psychology and Spanish.
• Bridget Reich from Bettendorf, IA, a senior majoring in psychology.
• Victoria Hays from Milan, IL, a senior majoring in accounting.
• Lauren Reid from Sherrard, IL, a junior majoring in advising business.
• Felipe Villagomez from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in anthropology and advising business.
• Meghan Showers from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in Asian studies and political science.
• Courtney Brown from Port Byron, IL, a junior majoring in biology and pre-medicine.
• Anthony Chesser from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in biology.
• Mohammed Hussain from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in biology and pre-medicine.
• Rebekka Laverenz from Coal Valley, IL, a senior majoring in biology.
• James Sales from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in biology.
• Anna Smith from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in biology and psychology.
• Mark Stumphy from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in biology.
• Josephine Swanson from Rock Island, IL, a junior majoring in biology.
• Astrid Tello-Rodriguez from Milan, IL, a sophomore majoring in biology.
• Michael Kendall from Silvis, IL, a senior majoring in biology.
• Benjamin Marine from Coal Valley, IL, a senior majoring in biology, pre-medicine and business advising.
• Allison Mulherin from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in biology.
• Srividya Prabhu from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in biology and pre-medicine.
• Bret Vandewoestyne from Silvis, IL, a senior majoring in biology.
• Adelle DeVolder from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in business finance.
• Eric Wigand from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in business finance.
• Deanna Zwicker from Orion, IL, a senior majoring in business finance and economics.
• Geoffrey Schoon from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in business finance and accounting.
• Alyssa Schroeder from Coal Valley, IL, a senior majoring in business finance and accounting.
• Angel Traman from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in business management.
• Amy Malmstead from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in business marketing.
• Janelle VanWatermeulen from Silvis, IL, a junior majoring in business marketing.
• Katherine Vander Vennet from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in business marketing and communication studies.
• Luke Osborne from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in classics with Latin emphasis.
• Laurel Williams from Milan, IL, a junior majoring in communication science & disorders and English.
• Kevin Carton from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in communication studies and French.
• Olivia Husman from East Moline, IL, a senior majoring in communication studies.
• Andrew Showers from Moline, IL, a sophomore majoring in computer science and philosophy.
• Carrie Bestian from Taylor Ridge, IL, a senior majoring in elementary education.
• Megan Ferris from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in elementary education.
• Darla Smith from Port Byron, IL, a senior majoring in elementary education.
• Paul Lambrecht from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in teaching history.
• Jasmin Landeros from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in elementary education.
• Monica Seif from East Moline, IL, a senior majoring in elementary education.
• Amber Soike from East Moline, IL, a junior majoring in elementary education.
• Neil Friberg from Rock Island, IL, a junior majoring in English.
• Nicholas Borchert from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in English and philosophy.
• Crystina Mayfield from Coal Valley, IL, a junior majoring in French.
• Michael Seevers from Cordova, IL, a senior majoring in geography.
• Sydney Royal from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in German and accounting.
• Thomas Lemon from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in history and business management.
• Andrew Shaffer from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in history.
• Mary Lambrecht from Moline, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.
• Douglas Peters from Port Byron, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.
• Jonathan Smith from Moline, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.
• Chelsea Vickerman from Silvis, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.
• Calvin Vo from Moline, IL, a sophomore majoring in liberal studies.
• Samuel Anderson from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in math and computer science.
• Martha Ade from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in music and English.
• Theodore Teros from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in philosophy.
• Bryan Schuldt from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in physics.
• Owen Engstrom from Sherrard, IL, a junior majoring in political science.
• Courtney Vandewiele from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in political science and accounting.
• Nicholas Camlin from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in political science.
• Jacquelyn Martini from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in political science.
• Leart Neziroski from East Moline, IL, a sophomore majoring in pre-medicine and biology.
• Justine Nuguid from Moline, IL, a junior majoring in pre-medicine and biology.
• Sarah Potter from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in psychology.
• Jennifer Youngs from Taylor Ridge, IL, a junior majoring in psychology.
• Maria Vital from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in Spanish.
• Audrey Taylor from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in teaching biology.
• Brianna Dyer from Rock Island, IL, a senior majoring in teaching English.
• Nicole Johnson from Moline, IL, a senior majoring in teaching English.
• Kayla Papish from East Moline, IL, a senior majoring in teaching math and math.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (July 8, 2010)? Alex Knobloch of East Moline made the most of his experience at North Central College, excelling in both academics and athletics.

Among other honors, the Alleman High School graduate and son of Craig and Barb Knobloch was named the College's 2010 Outstanding Major in Biology and the 2010 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Man of the Year, an award that recognizes the conference's top male student-athlete.

After he wraps up officer training at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama this summer, Knobloch will attend the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD, where he'll pursue a medical degree through the Air Force.  He ultimately hopes to become a doctor and practice family medicine as a primary care physician.

At North Central, Knobloch participated in the Summer Research Program, which offers biology students the opportunity to conduct field study at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium or in local forest preserves, among other locations. He presented his findings at the College's 2010 Rall Symposium for Undergraduate Research about his research synthesizing a salamander's DNA and isolating a novel protein with the goal of identifying an amino acid sequence.

"My experience conducting research at North Central was fantastic," he says. "It provided me the opportunity to gain an appreciation for the research process as a whole that will last the rest of my life.  Working even more closely with faculty in their roles as research advisors and becoming a part of and contributing to a science department culture that is really flourishing were two aspects of the experience for which I am grateful."

In addition to graduating with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, Knobloch was a member of the travel squad as an alternate for North Central's 2009 national championship-winning cross country team. He was a conference champion in the distance medley relay at the 2010 CCIW Indoor Track & Field Championships.

He received a North Central College Presidential Scholarship, was a CCIW Academic All-Conference member in each of his four seasons and earned North Central's Scholar-Athlete Award each of his four years for having the highest grade point average among all athletes in his respective class. He earned membership to the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society (Gamma Nu Chapter) and the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society (Illinois Mu Chapter).

Knobloch also earned North Central's Etheldred L. Schafer Pre-Medical Scholarship for two years and was active in the community, taking part in the Circle K Service Club and serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). He was selected to join the Blue Key Honor Society and was treasurer of the Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society.

"The liberal arts education I've obtained here at North Central is a key draw for me," he says. "I've been able to not only obtain the foundational training in biology and the other sciences needed for my medical career, but I've also been able to pursue my love of competitive running on the cross country and track teams and play with the college's pep band, utilizing these opportunities to develop myself in a variety of facets.

Founded in 1861, North Central College is an independent, comprehensive college of the liberal arts and sciences that offers more than 55 undergraduate majors and graduate programming in six areas. Located in Naperville, Ill., North Central is recognized as one of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S. News & World Report, which cites it as one of the top six schools in the Midwest for "Strong Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching"; as "a college for high-achieving students" by Peterson's Competitive Colleges; and as one of "America's Best Colleges" by Forbes. For more information about North Central College visit www.northcentralcollege.edu.

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By Jason Alderman

My wife recently enrolled in graduate school, so like millions of other Americans we've paid close attention to news about student loan programs. One recent example: A key component of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act will result in several significant modifications to the how federal student loans are offered and processed.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the changes will save approximately $61 billion over the next 10 years - money that will partially be used to expand the Pell Grant program for low-income students, beef up community college funding and eventually lower monthly loan repayment amounts for lower-income earners participating in the Income-Based Repayment Plan.

Here's an overview of key changes:

As of July 1, all new federally backed student loans are now issued directly through the Department of Education's Direct Loan program, thereby eliminating the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), which had allowed banks and other private lenders to offer federally guaranteed loans. The government is essentially eliminating banks as the middleman for these loans.

Affected loans include subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans for undergraduate and graduate students, PLUS Loans for parents and PLUS Loans for graduate and professional degree students. Under Direct Loan, the latter two actually have lower interest rates than they did under FFELP (7.9 percent vs. 8.5 percent); and, the approval rate for parent loans tends to be higher.

Private lenders will continue servicing student loans already on their books and may continue offering student and parental loans that are not federally guaranteed, just as they always have. Such uninsured loans typically have higher interest rates but may allow larger loan amounts.

Another feature: For federal loans granted beginning in 2014, lower-income graduates with outstanding Stafford or Grad PLUS loans who opt for an Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan will see their monthly repayment amount capped at 10 percent of income, compared to the current 15 percent, provided their loan debt qualifies as high relative to income and family size. Go to www.studentaid.ed.gov and search "IBR" to read about eligibility requirements.

These changes do not impact the process of applying for federal grants, loans or work-study programs or change the amount of federal aid that students are eligible to receive. The first step for students interested in receiving federal aid is still to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, from the school's guidance counselor or financial aid office, or by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID.

Most of the savings reaped by eliminating the FFELP will be applied toward the Federal Pell Grant program. (Pell Grants are scholarships given to students from lower-income families that needn't be repaid.)

Beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year (July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011), the maximum Pell Grant amount increases by $200 to $5,550, where it will remain until 2013-2014. In addition, from the 2013-2014 through 2017-2018 academic years, the amount will be indexed for inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers), capping out at $5,975.

For more details on the budgetary impacts of this Act, visit the Congressional Committee on Education and Labor's website, www.edlabor.house.gov and search "SAFRA" (Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act).

Des Moines, IA, June 29, 2010- Iowa students and families can receive the latest college planning, career planning and financial literacy tips by following the Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid) and I Have a Plan IowaTM on Facebook® and TwitterTM and viewing video clips on YouTube.
"We know that the social media movement is changing how students seek and share information," said Karen Misjak, executive director of the Iowa College Student Aid Commission. "As Iowa's official state resource to help students and families plan, prepare and pay for college, it is important that our information is available where it is most convenient for them," Misjak explained. "Social networking enables us to interact and communicate with Iowa students and families in a new environment."

Students and families interested in learning about college planning and financial literacy can click on the Facebook®, TwitterTM or YouTube badges on Iowa College Aid's website, www.IowaCollegeAid.gov, to receive college planning tips, post questions, participate in discussions, and view student and parent interviews. The social networking pages for I Have a Plan IowaTM, accessible through the links on www.IHaveaPlanIowa.gov, primarily focus on career planning and employment opportunities.

Iowa College Aid is the state agency that administers Iowa's student aid programs, the GEAR UP Iowa program, the I Have a Plan IowaTM statewide community web portal and serves as the state-designated administrator of the U.S. Department of Education's College Access Challenge Grant. To learn more about how these programs 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.

About the Iowa College Student Aid Commission
As the state's designated guaranty agency for the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), Iowa College Aid provides college access, financial literacy, and outreach services to Iowa's students and families as they prepare, plan and pay for college. Iowa College Aid also administers state scholarship, grant, work study, and loan forgives programs totaling over $68.5 Million annually, provides borrowers with assistance to avoid the serious consequences of default, conducts research and distributes higher education data, and offers Iowans assistance in obtaining student financial aid
and college-related information. Through its role, Iowa College Aid also serves as the state-designated administrator of the U.S. Department of Education's College Access Challenge Grant, which is designed to increase the college-going culture in Iowa. Additionally, Iowa College Aid is the administrator of the Federal GEAR-UP Grant, a multi-year state-wide grant which is being utilized to provide early awareness programming and outreach initiatives to thousands of Iowa's students and families. More information is available at www.IowaCollegeAid.gov