LOSFA selected for Inaugural Ascendium Fellowship Program
Baton Rouge, LA- The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) was selected as one of eight organizations to participate in the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) inaugural Ascendium Fellowship Program. LOSFA will participate in the two-year program aimed at supporting students who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated in pursuing postsecondary education.
“LOSFA is uniquely positioned to connect opportunities with state-wide programs, student support services, and partnerships to lower barriers faced by justice-impacted students,” said April Bergens, Outreach Coordinator for Adult Learners and Non-Traditional Students. “The funds will be used to offset expenses incurred from participation in the fellowship and outreach services provided to this student population.”
Since 2022, the M.J. Foster Promise Program has offered tuition assistance to Louisiana residents, including re-entry students, who have not been convicted of a violent crime. LOSFA ensures re-entry students receive support in their journey by providing intensive academic/career advising and assisting with match and fit to guide them to the program and school that best meets their needs. LOSFA also addresses barriers to completion by connecting justice-impacted individuals and families to vital support and resources to help with the college access and credential process.
Launched July 1 by the U.S. Department of Education, the new Pell Grant for Prison Education Programs, in conjunction with state resources including the GO Grant, M.J. Foster Promise Program, and Strategies to Empower People (STEP) Vocational Education program, offers a powerful opportunity for legally impacted individuals to access higher education, paving the way to higher-paying jobs, lower recidivism rates, and improved employment prospects. For the first time since the 1990s, people who are incarcerated will be able to access Pell Grants to pay for postsecondary education.
The fellows selected for this new initiative will contribute to a comprehensive college access and success guidebook and other valuable resources aimed at helping programs support this population of learners. The overarching goal of this project is to start to build a national network of college access and success programs with specialized knowledge and expertise to support the growing population as they pursue postsecondary degrees and credentials of value.
LOSFA will host two webinars about the Ascendium Fellowship Program. This webinar will inform participants of LOSFA’s programs and resources while creating, building, and fostering existing and new partnerships to unify the approach to serving justice-impacted students.
For more information on the new Pell Grant eligibility and other state resources, view the Justice Impacted Financial Aid Flyer.