wfn.org | United Methodist loan office seeks to help more students

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Oct. 26, 1999	Contact: Linda Green·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-71B{568)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - The United Methodist Office of Loans and
Scholarships seeks to offer at least 1,500 students more than $2 million in
low-interest loans for the next four years.

"It is the goal of the Office of Loans and Scholarships to help United
Methodist students obtain their dreams of higher education and to help
prepare the next generation of Christian leaders for the church and the
world," said Angella Current, executive director of the Office of Loans and
Scholarships at the churchwide Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

In 1998, 1,144 students took advantage of low-interest loans. The loans and
scholarships office wants to increase that number in 2000-2004.

The office plans to award at least $2.5 million in loan funds for a minimum
of 1,500 students annually in the next four years. However, that's just one
of its objectives.

Other items in the strategic plan include:
·	increasing visibility and access to loan and scholarship programs
through use of the Internet;
·	increasing the number of unrestricted scholarship dollars for United
Methodist students through efforts such as the Gift of Hope: 21st Century
Scholars program;
·	annual allocations of scholarship dollars to United Methodist
schools, colleges,  seminaries and other institutions;
·	providing technical assistance and resource support to United
Methodist schools, colleges and universities as requested;
·	enhancing the collections processes by using new technology;
·	continuing to award 100 percent of the funds approved by the Board
of Higher Education and Ministry's  Investment Committee from restricted
endowments; and
·	continuing the efficient and effective management of the board's
fiduciary organizations for loans and scholarships.

"The Office of Loans and Scholarships has always been an effective and
efficient operation," said Aubrey Lucas, chairman of the Office of Loans and
Scholarships advisory committee. "The office administers more than 70
scholarship programs and has maintained one of the best collection records
in the nation of less than one percent default rate."
 
For more information, contact the Office of Loans and Scholarships, P.O. Box
340007, Nashville, TN 37203-0007; scholarships phone: (615) 340-7344; loans
phone: (615) 340-7346; fax: (615) 340-7367. Visit the Web site at
www.gbhem.org/loans.html.

# # #

Kathy Gilbert, a staff member in the Office of Interpretation at the United
Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, provided the information
for this story.

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United Methodist News Service
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