Sep 9, 2011

Economic forum

Julie Jo Larson, an honor student at Central Lakes College, joined CLC President Larry Lundblad as higher education spokespersons participating in the Governor's Economic Forum on the Brainerd campus Sept. 9. She cited many CLC attributes as well as educational challenges students face in Minnesota, which has the third highest tuition in the nation for college and university students. She noted that 70 percent of CLC students receive financial aid. This fall, the CLC Financial Aid office has moved more than $9 million in aid into student accounts. President Lundblad spoke of a student he met while greeting students on the first day of the semester. The man was a longtime construction worker who enrolled to restart his career in a new field. "He had tears in his eyes," President Lundblad said. "He told me he was down to his last $500, 'so this has to work for me'." Similar stories abound, with students from high school to near-retirement age looking to CLC, where the motto is "We Build Futures." Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/58518185@N04