Alma Bowen 770-724-9018

Governor proclaims September

‘Student Loan Default Prevention Awareness Month’

Gov. Sonny Perdue has proclaimed September as “Student Loan Default Prevention Awareness Month” in Georgia. Throughout the month, efforts will be made to educate students on student loan issues – repayment, and default prevention, as well as debt and money management.

Georgia’s statewide Default Prevention Task Force, which was formed in 1999 by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC), is asking that all schools of higher education – colleges, universities, and technical colleges – conduct a default prevention activity during September.

The schools also are being asked to make students aware of an interactive, online Chat Day sponsored by GSFC on Sept. 10.

The Default Prevention Chat Day can be accessed by computer by anyone from any place in Georgia or from other states. Student financial aid professionals will provide answers regarding student loans, default and debt, and money management. The Chat Day is hosted by the Default Prevention Task Force, which is made up of 25 financial aid professionals from schools, and representatives from lenders, from the U.S. Department of Education, from the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta, Inc., and from GSFC.

The Chat Day, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sept. 10, can be accessed by logging on to www.gsfc.org, and clicking on the “Default Prevention Chat Day” link on the left side of the page. Participants who would prefer to get answers by telephone may call toll-free, 1-800-505-GSFC (4732).

More information about the Chat Day or about Georgia’s Default Prevention Task Force is available from Debbie Wiggins, chair of the Default Prevention Task Force, dwiggins@thomasu.edu, or Ruth Vincent at ruthv@gsfc.org.

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