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Release Date: 
Wednesday, September 15, 2021

Financial Aid and the LGBTQ+ community: Oct. 5

Event Date: 
Tue, 10/05/2021 - 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Location: 
Virtual
Pride flag with piggy bank

HFC Financial Aid Administrator Elizabeth Preston, who is also the SAFE@HFC chair, will participate in a virtual panel discussion for Trans Empowerment Month on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 6:00 p.m.

“We will be speaking about financial aid and how it relates to LGBTQ+ students, specifically our Trans population students,” said Preston, who is currently enrolled in the Ferris State University Doctorate in Community College Leadership program and will graduate in December.

Below is the outline for the presentation:

  • Segment 1: What is FAFSA?
  • Segment 2: FAFSA and Gender
  • Segment 3: Scholarships and Loans

What is FAFSA?

Segment 1: FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): What is It?
Eastern Michigan University Financial Aid Advisor Andy Zerkel will answer the following questions:

  • What is FAFSA?
  • What is the annual process for completing my FAFSA?
  • What processes and deadlines should I be aware of?
  • What is an FSA ID, and why do I need one?
  • What is the data retrieval tool, and how do I use it?

There will be time at the end of this presentation for Q&A.

FAFSA and Gender

Segment 2: FAFSA and Gender
Wayne State University Financial Aid Officer Ashton Niedzwiecki will address the following topics:

There will be time at the end of this presentation for Q&A.

Scholarships and Loans

Segment 3: Scholarships and Loans
Preston will address the following topics:

  • LGBTQ+ specific scholarships
  • Institutional scholarships
  • State-sponsored scholarships
  • Different types of financial aid (subsidized, unsubsidized, alternative)
  • Interest rates
  • The danger of too much debt (what actual monthly repayments would look like depending on total debt borrowed)
  • Borrowing wisely
  • Student rights and responsibilities (Master Promissory Note, entrance and exit loan counseling, staying connected with loan servicer, etc.)
  • Repayment options
  • Alternatives to borrowing

There will be time at the end of this presentation for Q&A.

Please register for this event. For questions or more information, contact Preston at empreston@hfcc.edu.