Torres Hosts Financial Aid and Student Loans Telephone Town Hall

Press Release

The evening of December 7th, Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-Pomona) held a Telephone Town Hall on Student Loans and Financial Aid for residents of the 35th Congressional District. She was joined by representatives from the U.S. Department of Education and the California Student Aid Commission who gave an overview of programs available to assist students and graduates and answered questions from callers.

"Americans currently owe a total of $1.3 trillion in student loan debt, and that debt is having a devastating impact on their future earning potential and quality of life," said Torres. "I know from personal experience how daunting the financial aid process can be, so I want to make sure my constituents know about the many resources that are out there to help so that they and their families are on the right financial path."

A total of 2,163local residents took part in the call and asked questions ranging from the kinds of scholarships available for graduate studies to advice about attending a military academy to where to turn for assistance repaying student loans.

Joining Rep. Torres was Ashley Harris, Awareness and Outreach Specialist at the U.S. Department of Education, who gave an overview of federal financial aid, the College Scorecard, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and federal student loan relief programs. Participants also heard from David O'Brien, Director of Government Affairs, and Catalina Mistler, Division Chief of Program Administration and Services, both with the California Student Aid Commission. They discussed the application process for state-based financial aid programs, the California DREAM Act application, and the one billion dollar Cal Grant program, which provides financial assistance for low-income California students.

Constituents who were unable to participate in the Telephone Town Hall are encouraged to explore the following resources for assistance when navigating the financial aid process or when seeking help with repaying federal student loans:

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