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

More than 5,070 Iowa State University undergraduates have been recognized for outstanding academic achievement by being named to the 2010 spring semester Dean's List.  Students named to the Dean's List must have earned a grade point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.00 scale while carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work.

Students from our local area who qualified for the Dean's List are listed below:

from Bettendorf:

• Kristin Alexa Allen, Environmental Science (AGLS)
• Rachel Marie Ashley, Dietetics (H SCI)
• Andrea Lynne Baker, Architecture-Professional Degree
• Ashley Marie Beck, Early Childhood Education
• Maggie Elizabeth Beckman, Interior Design
• Carolyn Elizabeth Bennie, Early Childhood Education
• Jennifer Marie Blaser, Microbiology
• Stephanie Ann Blaser, Food Science (H SCI
• Jessica Marie Blaum, English
• Kaitlin Janaye Bohn, Kinesiology and Health
• Kimberly Ann Booe, Chemical Engineering
• Stephanie Suzanne Booe, Advertising
• Elizabeth C. Brebner, Psychology
• Benjamin Alexander Britz, Mechanical Engineering
• Sarah Anne Buck, Psychology
• Brett T. Bueker, Kinesiology and Health
• Joseph Stephen Byrnes, Physics
• Dan Eric Candler, Mechanical Engineering
• Jonathan A. Carlz, Computer Engineering
• Brittney Corrine Carpio, Political Science
• Daniel Norbert Congreve, Electrical Engineering
• Danielle Lee Cook, Communication Studies
• Jack Edward Cozad, Mathematics
• Emily Marcene Doerder, Music
• Jared Andrew Evans, Political Science
• Daniel Lawrence Finnegan, Aerospace Engineering
• Jennifer Ann Garter, Kinesiology and Health
• Matthew Nicholas Gaul, Architecture-Professional Degree
• Pierre Luc Gilles, Mechanical Engineering
• Valerie Sylvie Gilles, Biology
• Jiyeon Han, Preprofessional Health Programs
• Jacob T. Hemberger, Chemical Engineering
• ron Michael Hewitt, Integrated Studio Arts
• Leah Elizabeth Hodgin, Elementary Education
• Lindsay Jo Hoffman, Pre-Diet and Exercise (H SCI)
• Stephanie D. B. Holloway, Veterinary Medicine
• Bryce Phillip Johnson, Open Option (LAS)
• Carolyn Anne Johnson, Animal Science
• Megan Michelle Johnson, Kinesiology and Health
• Abigail Marie Kline, Child, Adult, and Family Services
• Deborah Nicole Kraft, Integrated Studio Arts
• Stephanie Lynne Kraft, Spanish
• Matthew Douglas Krajewski, Aerospace Engineering
• Jason Carl Kruse, Architecture-Professional Degree
• Elizabeth Ilene Larsen, Psychology
• Jessica Marlo Madsen, Integrated Studio Arts
• Molly Christine Madsen, Spanish
• Elizabeth J. Martin, Elementary Education
• Christopher P. Meadows, Mechanical Engineering
• Spencer William Mesick, Biology
• Brock Robert Mills, Psychology
• Andrew Joseph Morse, Mechanical Engineering
• Gordon Theodore Mueller, Mechanical Engineering
• Stefan Juel Nitzschke, Management Information Systems
• Catherine Erin Owens, Accounting
• Rachel Ann Potthoff, Construction Engineering
• Abigail S. Pritz, Graphic Design
• Emily Paige Rheinhart, Child, Adult, and Family Services
• Samuel James Russell, Construction Engineering
• Mindy Jolene Schlueter, Kinesiology and Health
• Meredith Kim Sherrill, Veterinary Medicine
• Jana Kristine Stolze, Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management
• Kelly Ann Wagner, Dietetics (H SCI)
• Stefani Nicole Williams, Psychology
• Zhiyi Xu, Management Information Systems
• David Thomas Zimmerman, Industrial Engineering

from Davenport:

• Derek Mitchell Adams, English
• Derek Reid Attwood, Aerospace Engineering
• Brian Victor Becker, Marketing
• Nathan Joseph Bierl, Music
• Elizabeth Ann Borcherding, Elementary Education
• Nicholas C. Borcherding, Pre-Diet and Exercise (H SCI)
• Matthew Allen Burmeister, Mechanical Engineering
• Margaret Marie Carlin, Pre-Community and Regional Planning
• Carolyn Anne Chrissotimos, Kinesiology and Health
• Brion Niquan Coleman, Civil Engineering
• Anthony Patrick Colombari, Chemical Engineering
• Michael Dolan Connors, Liberal Studies
• John Michael Crispin, Architecture-Professional Degree
• Kalynn Dawn Doebel, Biology
• Joshua M. Dunham, Electrical Engineering
• Brett Christopher Ebert, Mechanical Engineering
• Nicholas A. Eisenbacher, Civil Engineering
• Kelly Jean Goossen, Forestry
• Alexander Joseph Gowey, Accounting
• Thomas Winston Hales, Music
• Anne Marie Harre, Psychology
• Kathleen Marie Hoil, Performing Arts
• Lance David Keltner, Civil Engineering
• Emily Marie Kenneke, Elementary Education
• Paul Charles Moffit Keppy, Political Science
• Nicholas Aaron King, Landscape Architecture
• Laura Beth Klavitter, Horticulture
• Laura Marie Kleinschmidt, Veterinary Medicine
• Luke William Klenske, Art and Design
• Austin Miles Laugen, Computer Engineering
• Amber Marie Loerzel, Graphic Design
• Farica Lynnette Lomas, Pre-Business
• Britney Jean Meier, Child, Adult, and Family Services
• Alexandra Eleni Menard, Anthropology
• Anna Elizabeth Mullen, Anthropology
• Quynh-Nhu M. Nguyen, Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management
• Alison Margaret Perkins, Design
• Nathan S. Premo, Software Engineering
• Mohammed Ashiqur Rahim, Electrical Engineering
• Kelsey B. Regan, Biological Systems Engineering
• Stephen Philip Richard, Industrial Engineering
• Aleah Nicole Salisbury, Finance
• Bryce Taylor Sandry, Pre-Business
• Elizabeth Gwen Shorter, Early Childhood Education
• Matthew J. Skoglund, Chemical Engineering
• Brian Michael Smith, Journalism and Mass Communication
• Brittany L. Springmeier, Food Science (AGLS)
• Michal-Marie Tillotson, Open Option (LAS)
• Christopher A. Van Buer, Aerospace Engineering

from Moline:

• Lisa Marie Harmon, Accounting
• Christina Elizabeth Mital, Interior Design
• Daniel Joseph Siroky, Architecture-Professional Degree

from Riverdale, Iowa:

• Amy K. DCamp, Pre-Biological/Pre-Medical Illustration

from Rock Island:

• Taylor Marie Downing, Food Science (AGLS)
• Jacob L. Schrader, Mechanical Engineering
• Eric Steven Schroder, Biology
• Grant Aaron Vermeer, Computer Engineering