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Attention Alaska Student Loan borrowers
Dear Editor:
As the student representative to the Alaska Commission
on Postsecondary Education
(ACPE), I would like to take this long-overdue opportunity to introduce
myself to your readers.
My name is Lisa Villano, and I am a senior majoring
in Psychology at UAF. I have served in my capacity as your representative
since 2001, and will continue to do so until the summer of 2003.
Prior to this, I served as a senator for the Associated Students
of UAF (ASUAF) and as coordinator of the Coalition of Student Leaders,
the University of Alaska’s statewide student association.
Enough about me. What is this ACPE, you ask? If you
are a borrower of the Alaska Student Loan or the newly implemented
AlaskAdvantage Program, chances are you will be making your checks
out to them after college (not me, mind you. Although, being a poor
college student myself, I certainly won’t turn them away. But
I digress). Started in 1974 through funding from the Alaska State
Legislature, the ACPE is responsible for disseminating millions
of dollars in student loans to Alaska’s postsecondary students.
Much of this is funded through bond sales, with the state and federal
governments each kicking in a piece as well. I sit on the board
that implements the policy and direction of the ACPE.
As you may or may not know, the format of the student loan program
has changed drastically as of late. What was the Alaska Student
Loan Program is now called the Alaska Advantage.
The ACPE is now a federally guarantor for the state,
meaning that they can lend federal student loan dollars without
the risk of losing money if a student’s account goes into default.
The repayment time is shorter, however, the interest rates are lower,
saving the students money in the long run. These are just a few
of the changes that have been made in an effort to make higher education
more accessible and affordable for Alaskans.
Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to introduce myself and
give a bit of a background on the ACPE. If you have any questions
or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at fslav@uaf.edu.
I am, after all, YOUR representative on this commission, and I cannot
effectively do my job without you! Also, please visit the ACPE website
at www.state.ak.us/acpe.
Sincerely,
Lisa Villano
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