LOCAL NEWS

MEDIA ADVISORY Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006 Media Contacts: Allen Carden, Central Valley Higher Education Consortium (559) 292-0576, acarden@csufresno.edu Despina Costopoulos, California Student Aid Commission (916) 526-6410, DCostopoulos@csac.ca.gov Patti Miller, City of Fresno Public Affairs Office (559) 621-7777,  Patti.Miller@fresno.gov   Brandy Ramos Nikaido, UC Office of the President/UC Merced (559) 241-7512, brandy.nikaido@ucop.edu Education pays and money is available to help students pay for their education Mayor Autry, Councilmembers Calhoun and Perea, educational leaders and students kick off Cash for College campaign in Fresno Fresno - According to U.S. Census Bureau data, the average college graduate with a bachelor’s degree will earn about $1 million more over his lifetime than the average high school graduate. Education pays and money is available to help students pay for their education. They just have to apply for it. Cash for College workshops show students how to get the money they need.   A press conference to publicize the Cash for College campaign and workshops in Fresno is set for Thursday, Jan. 19 at 10:30 a.m. at Fresno City Hall.     Recognizing that education and access to education are fundamental to the health and prosperity of our community, Mayor Alan Autry and Councilmembers Brian Calhoun and Henry T. Perea have teamed up with higher educational leaders to send a message to students that college is possible and affordable. Autry and Calhoun will join John D. Welty, president of California State University, Fresno and the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium; David B. Ashley, executive vice chancellor & provost at UC Merced; and Ned Doffoney, president of Fresno City College, at the Jan. 19 press conference. Students from Fresno City College, Fresno State and West Hills Community College also will share how receiving financial aid has enabled them to pursue a college education.   California Cash for College is a statewide effort sponsored by the California Student Aid Commission and promoted by the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium in conjunction with colleges and universities in the San Joaquin Valley. The campaign’s aim is to help students and parents successfully complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and Grade Point Average Verification Form, which are necessary to apply for Cal Grants and other types of financial aid. The deadline to submit the FAFSA and GPA Verification forms is March 2.   For more details, please call the Consortium toll-free at (877) 487-7677. # # #