2011-2012 ANNUAL REPORT ON FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES SmartAboutCollege.org safmt.org The mission of Student Assistance Foundation is to provide students with the knowledge and tools to pursue and fund their postsecondary education. We live our mission by reaching out to students and parents through a variety of programs and outreach services, appreciating the individual needs of the students we work with and encouraging their success. Contents Letter from the Chair ............................................................................................................................ 1 Acce$$ Grants .......................................................................................................................................2 Circle of Succe$$ Scholarships .................................................................................................... 3-5 College Goal Montana ..........................................................................................................................6 KnowHow2GO Week ............................................................................................................................. 7 Campus Outreach .............................................................................................................................8-9 Foster Care ........................................................................................................................................10-11 Golf Scramble .......................................................................................................................................12 Graduation Matters .............................................................................................................................12 Contributor List ....................................................................................................................................14 SAF: Positioning to Ensure Funding Streams for the Future .....................................................15 Financial Statements ..........................................................................................................................16 Letter from the Chair Student Assistance Foundation (SAF) was created because Montana students needed college access services to help them make their dreams of higher education a reality. More than a decade later, that need has not diminished, and SAF is working harder than ever to ensure Montana students have the information and tools to pursue and fund their postsecondary education. So, it is with great pleasure that I can report to you that SAF delivered $1.25 million in Acce$$ Grants to Montana students through Montana schools during Fiscal Year 2011-12, awarded $63,000 in Circle of Succe$$ scholarships to deserving Montana students, and assisted 53,224 Montana students and families through our campus and community outreach offices. In addition, SAF donated $50,000 to support the Graduation Matters Montana – Student Assistance Foundation College Readiness Fund to help increase the number of Montana students who graduate from high school ready for college and careers. A large portion of the funding for the public benefits that SAF provides Montana citizens comes from its business activities, SAF services a portfolio of some $3.2 billion, comprised of 303,081 loans belonging to 133,969 borrowers. To ensure continued, ongoing funding, 2012 also marked the start of a new business line for Tru Student, Inc., SAF’s wholly owned subsidiary. Tru Student now services private student loans. During Fiscal Year 2011-12, Tru Student and SAF worked tirelessly to prepare for federal student loan servicing for the U.S. Department of Education. At SAF, we want every Montana family to have the information, tools, and resources to pursue a postsecondary education. To meet that goal, we here at SAF know that we must continuously improve and innovate. Adding new services such as federal student loan servicing provides that improvement and innovation, which in turn, allows us to continue to help you. Helping you is what we do best, and when you succeed, so do we! Sincerely, James Bell James Bell Board Chair [email protected] - 1 - SAF Distributes $1.25 Million 2011-2012 ACCE$$ in Acce$$ Grant Funds to GRANT DISTRIBUTION Montana Schools Aaniiih Nakoda College .................................................... $6,263 In Fiscal Year 2011-12, Student Assistance Blackfeet Community College ........................................$15,031 Foundation (SAF) distributed $1.25 million in Acce$$ Grant funds to assist students at 21 Carroll College ...................................................................$37,579 Montana postsecondary institutions. Chief Dull Knife College ......................................................$7,516 The grants are awarded each year by SAF to Dawson Community College ........................................... $11,274 Montana students through financial aid offices at all Montana postsecondary schools, including tribal Flathead Valley Community College............................$60,126 and private institutions, and two-year and four-year Fort Peck Community College ........................................ $11,274 schools. The amount awarded to each school is determined by enrollment numbers. Great Falls College MSU .................................................$35,900 Financial aid officers use the grants to help Helena College University of Montana ......................$23,825 students in need pay for their education. Individual Little Big Horn College .....................................................$9,520 award amounts vary by student and are determined by the financial aid office. Miles Community College ............................................... $13,779 “The financial situation in our house is a balancing Montana State University – Billings and act between work, school and childcare expenses,” City College at MSU Billings ........................................$145,306 said Acce$$ Grant recipient Shane Cooke, who is Montana State University – Bozeman ......................$289,378 attending Flathead Valley Community College and working toward attaining a degree in forestry. “With Montana State University – Northern .........................$37,579 the two children, our childcare expenses are more Montana Tech of The University of Montana and Highlands than our house payment, so this Acce$$ Grant will have a major impact on the financial situation for College of Montana Tech ...............................................$65,764 my family.” Rocky Mountain College ................................................$25,053 Since 2000, SAF has distributed $10.7 million in this Salish Kootenai College .................................................$25,053 form of aid to help Montana students pursue, and attain, their dreams of postsecondary education. Stone Child College ........................................................... $6,263 “Affordability remains a major obstacle for students The University of Montana – Missoula and who dream of obtaining a college degree. SAF’s Missoula College University of Montana ...................$373,411 investments in Acce$$ grants are intended to make The University of Montana Western ...........................$30,064 college more affordable, especially for students who face significant financial barriers,” said Kelly University of Great Falls ................................................$20,042 Cresswell, SAF’s vice president of Foundation Activities. “It’s extremely rewarding to be able to Total ......................................................... $1,250,000 make a difference in the lives of so many Montana students in this way each year.” - 2 - SAF Awards $63,000 in Circle of Succe$$ Scholarships to Montana Students From Sanders to Carter, and all the Montana what SAF employees intended when they established counties in between, 63 students are breathing the scholarship program seven years ago. easier about paying for their college expenses thanks to the award of Student Assistance “The Circle of Succe$$ program is particularly Foundation’s Circle of Succe$$ scholarships in 2012. meaningful to SAF employees because it was initially funded solely through voluntary payroll “Thank you so much for this scholarship,” wrote deductions,” she said. “Today, we look to the Circle of Succe$$ recipient Bryce Worthington. “It proceeds of our annual golf tournament and means so much to my success and to helping me generous donors in the community to allow us become the best student I possibly could. This money to help even more Montana students in need.” will go a long way in alleviating some of the stress that debt will cause me once I graduate from college.” Hess added that the employee committee charged with selecting the scholarship recipients had a challenging Worthington, who is from Billings, is attending duty in narrowing the numerous applications to meet Montana Tech of The University of Montana the number of scholarships available. in Butte, and is studying for his Petroleum Engineering Degree. While he understands that he “Each year we see requests from so many will likely work outside of Montana at the start of dedicated and talented students, it’s always difficult his career, his plans are to return to Montana and to select just a few to receive Circle of Succe$$ raise a family when the opportunity presents itself. scholarships,” she said. Darbie Hess, grants and scholarship manager for To date, SAF has distributed