Student loan forgiveness program

Student program needs loan funds

Donors must dig into their pockets to make a new college loan forgiveness program succeed.

The Advantage Topeka Program --- aimed at bringing college graduates back to Topeka --- has the support of city leaders and The University of Kansas. Now it needs people and businesses to kick in donations, city officials said at a news conference Thursday.

"It takes business partners, and that's the bottom line of this today," Mayor James McClinton said. "Once that piece is in place we can begin the business of making sure our students remain in Shawnee County and fill the needs we have in the occupations we are in desperate need of."

The Advantage Topeka Program would provide loans for as much as $5,000 --- or $2,500 for two years --- to Topekans who graduate from a high school in Shawnee County. If the student returned to Topeka to work in a "high-demand" job, one year of his or her loan would be forgiven for each year of employment. The areas of high demand are considered architecture, computer science, construction science, engineering and health care.

"We do want to retain the best and the brightest of Topeka students, help them go to college, help them stay in our community, help us grow and develop," said Councilman Duane Pomeroy.

The ability to hand out loans in the fall will depend on fund- raising efforts. The city and university have each committed to providing one-third of the program's financing. And donors will receive several incentives, including a rebate of city property taxes of up to 50 percent of the amount contributed and a possible tax deduction for the remainder of the contribution through the Kansas University Endowment Association.

Pomeroy said the program might help attract businesses that want assurances that they can fill labor, as well as professional, jobs.

People seeking more information about making a contribution may contact:

- Jim Langford, Topeka director of finance, at 215 S.E. 7th St., Topeka, Kan. 66603 or by calling (785) 368-2564.

- Joe Zanatta, KU Endowment Association, at (785) 832-7400.

Students seeking more information may contact the KU Office of Student Financial Aid at financialaid@ku.edu.

Barbara Hollingsworth can be reached at (785) 295-1285 or barbara.hollingsworth@cjonline.com.