Financial Aid Awareness Month

WHEREAS, nearly 134,000 Alabama residents pursue a postsecondary education in our state each year; and

WHEREAS, citizens attaining bachelor’s degrees earn, on average, 80 percent more than those with a high school diploma; and

WHEREAS, nationally, the average public and private four-year institution’s tuition and fees rose over eight percent and the average public two-year institution’s tuition and fees rose over five percent over the previous year; and

WHEREAS, financial aid programs at the federal, state, institutional and private levels are available to enhance educational access and choice for the residents of Alabama by promoting equality of opportunity for postsecondary education to students who would otherwise be restricted financially from participating in the educational programs best suited to them; and

WHEREAS, students, parents and other family members need to know about local, state, federal and private resources available for students wanting to pursue a higher education degree:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of the State of Alabama, do hereby proclaim the month of February 2013 as

Financial Aid Awareness Month

in the state of the Alabama.