Message from the Director
As we begin the new academic year, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the past year we have completed. This has been a time filled with challenges and opportunities. Together we found innovative ways to continue to support our students and families through challenging times and we continue to look for ways to better support you, our partners in this endeavor.
I joined the State of Michigan in 2016 and I entered the position of Director shortly after our Student Scholarships and Grants division and Outreach division merged into the Student Scholarships, Grants and Outreach (SSGO) division in late May 2020. Little time was available for a proper introduction since we essentially “hit the ground running.” I have over twenty years of experience in student financial aid. I started my career as a financial aid advisor and have always had a passion for helping students. As a first-generation college graduate, I benefited from the knowledge and advice of others and I place high priority on providing helpful information to our students and families. I am excited to see what opportunities are ahead in this new year and look forward to working together to best support our students and families as they navigate a successful path to postsecondary education.
At this point in time, SSGO has no new budget updates. We will continue to monitor and share budget/State financial aid program updates when they become available.
We wish you well in the new academic year!
-Diann Cosme, Director
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Message from the Deputy Director
This new year marks the beginning of yet another journey into the education of Michigan students.
The Program Coordinator team and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you. We are excited for another year of collaboration to support students and families.
Our programs provide nearly $140 million to more than 71,000 students annually. We cannot do the work that we do without relying on our partners; high school counselors, college access professionals, and YOU!
We experienced many changes throughout Academic Year 2020-21 within our organization and have acquired new staff to assist with the eight funded programs that we administer.
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Name
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Program(s)
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Jessica Kuchar
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Fostering Futures Scholarships (FFS)
Tuition Incentive Program (TIP)
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Marion Seelman
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Michigan Competitive Scholarship (MCS)
Michigan Tuition Grant (MTG)
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Nancy Vaughn
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Dual Enrollment (DE)
Futures for Frontliners Scholarship (F4F)
Michigan Reconnect Scholarship (Reconnect)
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Sierra Hanses
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Dual Enrollment (DE) in training.
Michigan GEAR UP Scholarship (MI GEAR UP)
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Deanna Hudson (Interim)
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Children of Veterans Tuition Grant (CVTG)
Police Officer’s and Fire Fighter’s Survivor Tuition Grant (STG)
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We look forward to a fantastic school year!
Janice Hursey-Anderson, Deputy Director
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Message from the CCC Manager
Our Customer Care Center (CCC) is made up of a team of call center representatives available to assist students, families, counselors, college access professionals, financial aid administrators and more! During this last year, our representatives responded to over 20,000 emails and assisted more than 40,000 callers. Our representatives are equipped and eager to share information on State financial aid programs, application processes, eligibility and payment statuses, processing updates to student records, and assisting with MiSSG support. In addition, the CCC is also supported by our MiSSG System Analyst and our Social Media/Digital Marketing Analyst who both have been a huge asset to the changes and evolvement of SSGO's work within the last 1 1/2 years.
We look forward to supporting you during this next academic year. Please contact us at 1-888-447-2687 or mistudentaid@michigan.gov and one of our representatives will be happy to assist you! For our Spanish speaking customers, you may ask to speak with Francisco Herrera, one of our recent additions to the CCC team.
-Jennifer Maurer, Manager
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Message from the Outreach Manager
The MI Student Aid Outreach team is available and ready to serve the state of Michigan in-person or virtually! The Outreach staff is regionally assigned to specific regions throughout the state. Check to see who your regional representative is and be sure to contact them if you would like additional support for your students and staff.
MI Student Aid Outreach plans to provide presentations and workshops statewide this year, both in-person and virtually. More information regarding the workshops can be found on the MI Student Aid Web site. If you would like for our team to provide a workshop or presentation for your organization, please visit our event request page.
We look forward to serving you in Academic Year 2021-22!
-Chad Somerville, Manager
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Services Provided
SSGO/MI Student Aid is actively involved in promoting postsecondary education, financial literacy, and financial aid options to Michigan students and families. SSGO/MI Student Aid partners with counselors and high schools, statewide, to bring resources directly to students. Some of the services provided include:
- Customer Care Center
- GovDelivery Email Communication
- MiSSG Data Management System
- MI Scholarship Search
- Publications and Manuals
- Social Media
- Training and Outreach Events
- Web site
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A staff directory with key contact information is available here.
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