Campus Connection

Second-year Medical Sonography student Julia Gorman talks to Financial Aid Assistant Crystal Smith about her financial aid status. The office sees approximately 50 walk-in students a day and processes over 100 applications a week.

Department: Financial Aid

Director: Lynn Deyton

Location: Azalea Building

Mission: To serve students by reducing the financial barriers to educational goals.

Highlights:

• The Financial Aid Office served a record number of students last year. During the 2001 calendar year, the office received 4,038 applications to review. During 2002, the department received 5,077, a 25.7% increase. The volume of walk-in traffic increased 57% in 2002, with the five employees in the department assisting over 18,000 students. In an average week, the office receives 150 applications and sees approximately 50 walk-in students a day.
• The office processes grants, loans and scholarships. The Federal Pell Grant is the most prevalent form of aid, with a maximum allotment of $4,050 for one year. Each student who applies for financial aid is assigned a budget, based on the cost of education and living expenses. The average cost of living expenses and one year at A-B Tech is $12,286 for a full-time, independent student and $8,688 for a full-time dependant student. The financial aid officer tries to fill in the gaps left by the Pell grant with other grants, scholarships and student loans.
• The office provides a work-study program, where students are given a part-time job on campus, optimally in their degree program. This allows students to earn money around their class schedule.

Sidebar:

Donna Turner, Associate Director of Financial Aid, tells of a welding student who was a displaced worker came into her office. Because of his previous yearŐs earnings, he was ineligible for financial aid, but was still in need of assistance. She was able to fill out a"special condition" application and not only secured financial aid for him, but was also able to assist him in getting a Foundation Scholarship from Volvo Construction Equipment. Soon to graduate, he hopes to continue his education and become a welding instructor."Every student has a different scenario, a different situation," says Financial Aid Assistant Crystal Smith."We have a very unique opportunity to help students."

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When The Moon Hits Your Eye Like A Big Pizza Pie

A-B Tech ventured to Europe in its first ever Travel Abroad Course in June. Students were able to earn either Art Appreciation or Humanities credit after combining course work with the trip. The group landed in Rome and visited the Roman Colosseum, Arch of Constantine and the Forum. Fine Arts Instructor Sharon Trammel, who helped lead the tour, writes,"Standing inside this Colossal Ampitheatre (top left) where hundreds of thousands of human beings and animals alike lost their lives was a humbling experience to say the least. The space is overwhelming."Among other sights visited were the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican, St. Peters, and the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo. The group also took a day excursion to Pompeii, the ancient Roman resort city destroyed in the first century AD by Mount Vesuvius.

Next they traveled to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance and home to artists such as Michelangelo, Botticelli and Giotto. Trammel writes,"In this beautiful pedestrian city located on the Arno River, we saw Michelangelo's David. The famous Florence Cathedral- one of the largest self-supporting domes in the world - was our midpoint on the trip. While in Florence we took one leisurely day to stroll the streets and markets in this city famous for art, fashion and jewelry."

Trammel continues,"The last leg of our journey was spent in Paris, the city of light. We went to the largest museum in the world, the Louvre, as well as the Musee d'Orsay, a museum dedicated to 19th and 20th century artists. We then travelled to Notre Dame Cathedral and drove up the Champs Elysees, the 'most beautiful street in the world.'Some of us traveled to Giverney, to see the home of Monet where he painted his beautiful water lilies and Japanese garden scenes (top right) and took the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower (right) to view this beautiful city at night. The last night we were treated with a riverboat tour down the River Seine."

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Tech Talk is published for employees of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College by the Communications Office.

Executive Editor: Mona Cornwell

Managing Editor: Jodi Ford

Send submissions to Mona Cornwell, Director of Communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu

Publication of the next issue is scheduled August1. The deadline for submissions is July17.

A-B Tech is an Equal Opportunity Educational Institution.