K21 Health Foundation and the Questa Foundation for Education have announced the second year of funds for students majoring in health care related fields. As a result of this partnership, funding is available for up to 5 qualified graduating students who are residents of Kosciusko County and plan on pursuing further education in a health care major. Students can now apply for the low interest forgivable loans to attend colleges and universities in Indiana. The deadline for all applications is May 1. Special incentives are available for those who attend one of the nine partner institutions in northeast Indiana. The funds are available for associate and bachelor degrees in health care related studies. For the first year of this program in 2012, three students were chosen to become K21-Questa Scholars from Kosciusko County. They were: Lynsi Hicks, 2012 graduate of Whitko High School attending Indiana University to study nursing; Jessica Lokotar, 2012 graduate of Indiana Academy attending Grace College to study pre-med; and Leah Sponseller, 2012 graduate of Tippecanoe Valley High School attending Indiana Wesleyan University to study nursing. As K21-Questa scholars, each of these students received partially forgivable low interest loans to attend colleges and universities in Indiana. Up to 50 percent of the loans will be forgiven if, upon graduation, they continue to reside and work in northeast Indiana. An additional 25 percent may be forgiven when they graduate from one of the regional partnership institutions. The K21 partnership with the Questa Foundation for Education is part of an overall strategy to increase the number of students accessing post secondary education, graduating with less debt and retaining talent in the region. K21 has made these funds available for high school seniors and college freshman which becomes part of their overall financial support for college costs. Students interested in being considered for these funds can find additional information and apply by either going to www.questafoundation.org or calling 260-407-6494.
