EVERY FIFTEEN DAYS
Updates From the Office of Higher Education Twice a Month

Sign Up for the FAFSA Completion Initiative

The Office of Higher Education (OHE) offers a tool for high school districts, high schools, and other organization to help determine which individual students have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and what the application status is for students.

The goal of the initiative is to increase the number of students completing the FAFSA. The tool can help make sure any problems with the application are resolved prior to the beginning of the college academic year, and gives counselors and college access professionals a tool they can use to help their students.

To participate in this project, please contact Nicole Whelan (Nicole.Whelan@state.mn.us) about the FAFSA Completion Initiative.

New School Year, New Chance to Get Vaccinated 

With the new school year here and the FDA's recent approval of Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, this is a great time for students, staff, and faculty to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  This vaccine is FDA approved for anyone 16 years of age and older and is available to everyone 12 and older. A third shot has been approved and recommended for moderately to severely immunocompromised people. 

All COVID-19 vaccines are free and readily available at hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, and other health care providers around Minnesota.

How people in Minnesota can get their free shot:

• Walk in or make an appointment through the Vaccine Connector: https://vaccineconnector.mn.gov/en-US/.
  •  Minnesota Department of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline 
    1-833-431-2053  Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. & Sat, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
• Use the state’s Vaccine Locator Map to find a vaccine provider near you: https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/find-vaccine/locations/index.jsp.
• Check for vaccine appointments using the Vaccine Finder on https://www.vaccines.gov/.
• Contact your primary healthcare provider or a local pharmacy.
• Reach out to your higher education institution about it's vaccination plan.

New Podcast Episodes

The fifth and sixth episodes of our podcast, Life After Now, have been released. In episode 5, Liz Bolsoni talks with Ben Castleman and Alice Choe about summer melt. And in episode 6, she chats with Betty Garcia Herrera who is a recent graduate of Worthington High School and is starting to navigate postsecondary education.

Listen on: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Anchor, Breaker, and Pocket Casts.