Doug Minter is the new director of student financial assistance.

Gustavus Adolphus College recently named Doug Minter its new director of student financial assistance. A 1979 Gustavus graduate, Minter previously worked for the college in admission and financial assistance from 1985 to 1997. Most recently he served as director of school relations at College Loan Corporation in St. Peter.

Reporting to Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Financial Assistance Mark Anderson, Minter replaces former director Mary Booker ‘91, who resigned in September.

“I am very excited to be back at Gustavus working with prospective students and families as they go about making their college choice,” Minter said. “In today’s economic climate a high percentage of students are going to apply for need-based financial aid and that makes financial assistance a key component of the college selection process.”

“Doug has experience managing all aspects of a financial assistance office as well as extensive knowledge of federal and state financial aid regulations,” Anderson said. “We are thrilled to have him back at Gustavus.”

Minter obtained his undergraduate degree from Gustavus in psychology and went on to earn a master’s of divinity degree in 1983 from Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. After serving Gustavus for 12 years as associate director of financial aid and admission, he moved on to assume the title of director of student financial planning at Stetson University in DeLand, Fla. Minter also spent time at James Tower Media Design as a network manager and at Citibank as a national business development manager.

###

Media Contact: Media Relations Manager Matt Thomas
mthomas@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510

Hundreds of students and financial aid supporters from Gustavus Adolphus College and other Minnesota private colleges and universities will gather at the state Capitol this spring to advocate for need-based student financial aid. Gustavus’ Day at the Capitol will be shared with Macalester College and is scheduled for Thursday, March 6.

Day at the Capitol is produced by the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) and allows students to learn how to become effective advocates while urging state legislators to support Minnesota students. Currently more than 71,000 Minnesota undergraduate students receive need-based aid through the State Grant Program. The average State Grant award is currently $1,748.

“The amount of student debt has grown 162 percent since 1995, and each year Minnesota students and their families have to borrow more than a billion dollars to cover the costs of higher education,” Gustavus junior and Student Senate Co-President Anthony Spain said. “That’s why we go to the Capitol every year — to ask our legislators to relieve the burden of increasing tuition costs on Minnesota families.”

The schedule for the day is as follows:

• 8 a.m.: Depart on charter buses from the three flags
• 9:30 a.m.: Arrive at the Capitol
• 10 a.m.: Legislative advocacy training
• 11:30 a.m.-1p.m.: Meetings with representatives and senators; lunch in the State Office Building cafeteria (per diem provided)
• 1 p.m.: Addresses from key legislators
• 1:10 p.m.: Early bus departs from St. Paul to arrive in St. Peter by 3:10 p.m.
• 3 p.m.: Tour of the Capitol building
• 4 p.m.: Late bus departs from St. Paul to Bloomington
• 4:45 p.m.: Dinner at Khan’s Mongolian Barbeque in Bloomington (students dine free of charge)
• 7:30 p.m.: Late bus arrives in St. Peter

For Gustavus students, the day is free of charge including lunch, dinner, and transportation. Faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and others impacted by the State Grant Program are also encouraged to attend. Sign up is available online at ga6.org/mnprivatecolleges/capitol.html.

If you have questions about Gustavus’ Day at the Capitol you may contact Vice President of College Relations Gwen Freed at 507-933-6355 or gfreed@gustavus.edu. You may also contact Spain at aspain@gustavus.edu.

###

Media Contact: Media Relations Manager Matt Thomas
mthomas@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510

Hundreds of Minnesota private college and university financial aid supporters gather at the Capitol each year to advocate for student financial aid, specifically the Minnesota State Grant Program. Students learn how to become an effective citizen lobbyist while urging your hometown legislators to support Minnesota students. Day at the Capitol is produced by the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) and by students throughout the state to drum up more interest to this extremely important program.

Did you know that…

• …one third of all Minnesota baccalaureate recipients each year come from Minnesota’s private colleges?
• …one in four private college students in Minnesota benefit from the State Grant Program, which provides financial assistance to all college students? The average State Grant for private college students is $3,100.
• …each Minnesota student who chooses to attend a private college saves state taxpayers as much as $6,000 apiece? The state would have to spend an additional $218 million per year to educate private college students at state-funded institutions.

Come let your voice be heard regarding financial aid where it counts. Join hundreds of private college students as we lobby current legislators to help support all students who attend college in Minnesota.

The Gustavus Day at the Capitol is scheduled for Thursday, March 8th from 7:30am-7:30pm. Sponsored by Student Senate, the Campus Activities Board, and the Minnesota Private College Council, Day at the Capitol will let you to hear from Gustie grads that work in the legislature, meet current key lawmakers, sit in on a Senate or House session, take a tour of the State Capitol, have private meetings with your legislator, and much more.

The day is free for all Gustavus students and includes lunch and dinner courtesy of the Gustavus Finance Office. Faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and others impacted by the State Grant Program are also encouraged to attend. Sign up is easy and is now available online: http://ga6.org/mnprivatecolleges/capitol.html

Schedule of Events

Day at the Capitol 2007
Sponsored by Student Senate and the Campus Activities Board

• 7:45 a.m.
  Meet at 3 Flags
• 8 a.m.
  Bus departs Gustavus Adolphus College
• 10 a.m.
  Program in State Office Building
  • Lobby training session
  • Discussions with key lawmakers
  • Meeting with legislators
• 12 Noon
  Lunch
• 1 p.m.
  Full group session in the Great Hall with students from other colleges, including a summary of the day and remarks by keynote speakers
• 3 p.m.
  Tour of the Capitol provided by the Minnesota Historical Society
• 4 p.m.
  Leave Capitol for dinner
• 4:45 p.m.
  Arrive at Khan’s Mongolian Barbecue

###

Media Contact: Media Relations Manager Matt Thomas
mthomas@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510

###

Media Contact: Media Relations Manager Matt Thomas
mthomas@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510