$10,000 Contribution Supports UI REACH Students from Iowa

Iowa students seeking to meet career and college aspirations through the University of Iowa's REACH (Realizing Educational and Career Hopes) program will receive the support they need thanks to a contribution from Iowa Student Loan.

The $10,000 contribution, made to the University of Iowa Foundation's UI REACH program campaign, will provide scholarships for Iowa students admitted to the program but with unmet financial need. UI REACH is a two-year transitional certificate program for students with multiple intellectual, cognitive, and learning disabilities.

"We are very thankful for this generous contribution," said Pam Ries, director of UI REACH. "For some students, a scholarship may be the deciding factor of whether or not they can attend this integrated post-secondary program. The students and their families will be truly grateful."

Each student enrolled in UI REACH is integrated into the university culture and has access to services such as academics, career development and internship opportunities. Students are provided with lessons in day-to-day living and are encouraged to collaborate with counselors and advisors focusing on career aspirations and developing key social and life skills such as money management and financial planning.

"The UI Reach program fulfills a need for students who may otherwise be overlooked on their quest for higher education," said Steve McCullough, president and CEO of Iowa Student Loan. "As a reflection of our mission, our contribution to the Foundation's campaign for the UI REACH program will ensure Iowa students who may not have been able to access the program, due to unmet financial needs, will be able to attend."

Created in 2008, UI REACH is the first of such programs on a Big Ten campus. More than 80 percent of program graduates find employment within two years of graduation, well above the national average for people with disabilities.

Learn more about UI REACH.

Connect with Iowa Student Loan on Facebook, or read the Student Loan Coach blog.

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The UI Foundation is the preferred channel for private contributions that benefit all areas of the UI.

About Iowa Student Loan

Established in 1979 as a private, nonprofit organization, Iowa Student Loan helps Iowa students and families obtain the resources necessary to succeed in postsecondary education. Iowa Student Loan has helped more than 392,500 students pay for college. The organization, based in West Des Moines, Iowa, also provides an array of borrower benefits, financial literacy tools and community reinvestment programs, including support for free college planning services for students and their families. For more information about Iowa Student Loan, visit www.IowaStudentLoan.org.

Media Contact
Megan Garrett, Corporate Communications & Media Relations, (515) 273-7145, mgarrett@studentloan.org