Chatham- Southeast Citizen 3-20-2019

Citizen

COMMENTARY: House Chair Waters leads charge to return consumer protection to CFPB — Page 3 Week of March 20, 2019

| Vol. 54 | No. 51 | www.thechicagocitizen.com

CHATHAM SOUTHEAST

LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR PROVIDES COLLEGE PREP SERVICES FOR PARENTS

Preparing for college is a difficult task for both parents and students. Tom Lewis, chief executive officer and founder of the Oink Group, said he knew from the young age of 13 that he wanted to be an entrepreneur and focus on helping parents prepare themselves to send their children to college.

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Tom Lewis (pictured), chief executive officer and founder of the Oink Group, helps parents prepare for their children to go to college. Photo Credit: Katherine Newman

BUSINESS

REAL ESTATE

Progress for working women has stalled, according to The Economist’s 2019 glass-ceiling index PAGE 4

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Survey shows teacher shortages growing throughout Illinois

Check out our real estate listings for important foreclosure information

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NEWS briefly EDUCATION

ILLINOIS YMCA YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT CELEBRATES THEIR 70TH YEAR OF TEACHING DEMOCRACY Illinois YMCA Youth and Government recently celebrated their 70th year of teaching democracy through a hands-on learning experience where students across the state took on the actual roles of state government. On, March 15-17, more than 1,000 teens and over 200 volunteers from across Illinois converged on Springfield and “took over” the Capitol and Supreme Court Buildings and ran a model legislative and judicial program where students sat in their counterparts’ actual seats — from the Governor’s office where the Youth Governor held meetings and signed bills, to the House and Senate Chambers where students tried their hand at getting their bills passed and all the way to the Supreme Court where they argued cases and decided on mock appeals. Additionally, students took on the roles of the media, lobbyists and participated in a State Issues Forum to give the experience a complete and well rounded feel.

The Assembly acts as the culmination of the IL YMCA Youth and Government program — a year-round civic engagement and service learning experience that offers high school age teens from across Illinois the opportunity to participate in a student–run model government program.

HEALTH

NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION’S 2019 SLEEP IN AMERICA® POLL SHOWS DISCIPLINED SLEEPERS REAP REWARD The National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) annual Sleep in America® poll shows that disciplined sleepers can afford the occasional shift of at least one-hour in their sleep schedules without paying the price the following day.

These individuals also scored an average of 6 to 11 points higher on the Foundation’s Sleep Health Index® than those with the most variable sleep timing, indicating notably better sleep health.

The 2019 Sleep in America poll shows a strong correlation between sleep schedule consistency and feeling well-rested the following morning. When contrasting the most disciplined sleepers to those with the most variable sleep schedules, those with the strictest schedules were nearly 1.5 times more likely to report feeling well-rested.

In fact, those with excellent sleep health are nearly 3.5 times more likely to report feeling well-rested on a typical weekday than those with poor sleep health.

LAW & POLITICS

EARLY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS MORE ACCIDENTS OCCUR WHERE MARIJUANA SALES ARE LEGAL U.S. auto insurers are examining how recreational marijuana is impacting motorist behavior and claims-filing patterns, according to a new Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) white paper. A Rocky Road So Far: Recreational Marijuana and Impaired Driving explores marijuana impairment’s impact on a motorist’s driving abilities, how states deal with marijuana-impaired motorists, and marijuana’s broader implications for U.S. roadway safety.

Early results aren’t promising, the I.I.I. found. There are signs legalizing recreational marijuana pushes accident rates higher, while it can be difficult to detect whether a driver is high on marijuana. There is currently no ‘breathalyzer’ equivalent for marijuana impairment,” write I.I.I.’s Chief Actuary James Lynch and I.I.I.’s Senior Research Specialist Lucian McMahon, the white paper’s co-authors, referring to the device which detects alcohol-impaired motorists. Moreover, when a motorist consumes both alcohol and marijuana, and then drives, that motorist is 25 times more likely than a sober one to be involved in a fatal accident, the I.I.I.’s white paper notes, pointing to a 2017 study in Injury Epidemiology.

Local Entrepreneur Provides College Prep Services For Parents Continued from page 1

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

Preparing for college is a difficult task for both parents and students. Tom Lewis, chief executive officer and founder of the Oink Group, said he knew from the young age of 13 that he wanted to be an entrepreneur and focus on helping parents prepare themselves to send their children to college.

It was this life long desire to find a solution for parents that lead Lewis to create the Oink Group which now accomplishes that task of providing families with the tools they need to make the transition from high school to college.

The Oink Group is a company that has developed several creative solutions to empower parents and help them to fulfill the vision they have for themselves and their children.

Through the various programs, educational workshops, online courses, and live speaking engagements that the Oink Group offers, thousands of parents are

able to connect with the company every year and learn how to start preparing for their students to attend college.

“We focus on parents and we pretty much work with them and help them get their children ready for college from ages zero to 17. We grab them by the hand and walk them slowly through that time period and hopefully by that point in time when their student is ready to go to college, everything is set for the student and also set for the parent,” said Lewis.

One program that the Oink Group offers is the Tuition Rewards Program which gives parents an opportunity to earn college scholarships for their children starting from the moment they are born. Through this program, each child in the family can receive a college scholarship of up to $55,290.

“We have this awesome scholarship program that people love. Basically, it gives families an opportunity to earn up to $55,290 for each child in their family.

What makes this program so great is that the scholarship is tax-free and it doesn’t

go on the FAFSA which means that the scholarship doesn’t count as the student’s financial aid. Also, it gives the parents an opportunity to start earning these scholarships when their child is a baby,” said Lewis.

Another program offered by the Oink Group is College Tours 4Parents which is an opportunity for parents to tour colleges with the Oink College Advisors who engage them in conversations about college funding, college planning, and college preparation.

“Our tours are very different, they are called parent tours because they are college tours for parents and students are not allowed on the trip at all,” said Lewis.

“We take them to three different types of schools. We take them to a trade school, a city college, and a four-year college and our whole point of doing that is to educate the parent on the business of college.”

To learn more about becoming a member of the Oink Group and the programs they offer visit www.oink-group.com.

AARP Launches ‘Stop Rx Greed’ Campaign Targeting High Prescription Drug Prices AARP recently announced the launch of ‘Stop Rx Greed,’ a nationwide campaign aimed at lowering prescription drug prices. The goal of AARP’s sustained campaign is to help drive down drug prices for all Americans by advocating for a variety of legislative, executive, and regulatory actions at both the federal and state level.

“Americans are paying the highest prescription drug prices in the world,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond.

“It’s time for pharmaceutical companies to stop deflecting blame and acknowledge that the root cause is the price they set for their products.”

As part of the campaign, AARP Research conducted a national survey of likely voters ages 50 and older. The survey found that significant majorities of self-identified Republican, Democrat, and independent voters shared concerns about the high price of drugs, and support common-sense policies that will lower prices.

Survey findings include: l 72 percent say they are concerned about the cost of

AARP recently announced the launch of ‘Stop Rx Greed,’ a nationwide campaign aimed at lowering prescription drug prices.

their medications. l 63 percent say the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable. l 90 percent support allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices. l 80 percent report taking at least one prescription medication. l Nearly 40 percent say they did not fill a prescription provided by their doctor with

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cost being the most common reason.

The Stop Rx Greed campaign will include national television, radio and digital ads, editorial content, emails to members, social media posts, ongoing advocacy and grassroots activity in D.C. and the states, and a petition calling on Congress and the Administration to take action now. As part of the campaign,

AARP will push for support of a number of policy solutions at the national and state level to help lower drug prices, including: l Allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices. l Allowing states to negotiate lower prices with drug companies. l Giving state Attorneys General authority to crack down on outrageous price increases. l Clamping down on payfor-delay and other loopholes that keep lower cost generic drugs off the market. l Capping consumers’ prescription drug out-of-pocket costs. l Preserving state pharmacy assistance programs.

“There’s no one solution that’s going to solve this issue,” said John Hishta, AARP senior vice president of campaigns. “Success will be when consumers are no longer price gouged by the drug industry and can afford the drugs they need.”

For more about Stop Rx Greed, visit www.aarp.org/rx.

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of March 20, 2019

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NEWS

TD Bank’s Annual Consumer Spending Index Reveals Credit Knowledge Gap Exists Among Millennials Though 82 percent of millennials believe society will eventually become cashless, TD Bank’s Consumer Spending Index revealed that they’re lacking when it comes to building and maintaining healthy credit habits. As the generation least likely to carry cash, according to the survey, this begs the question of whether millennials are armed with the proper tools to be responsible card holders.

TD’s survey revealed some concerning credit habits of millennials, including: l Twenty-three percent of millennials don’t have a credit card, and they’re the generation most likely to prefer cash (26 percent) while traveling l Half of millennials use between 31-90 percent of their credit limit, surpassing the recommended utilization rate of 30 percent or less l Nearly one-third (32 percent) of millennials don’t pay their cards off in full each month, which can damage credit health and be costly in the long run, especially in a rising rate environment l A quarter of millennials do not know their credit score, which can be a setback when applying for credit cards or loans, getting approved for a mortgage, buying a car, or making other major purchases

“The data is a bit concerning – it shows that a significant knowledge gap exists for millennials when it comes to credit, especially compared to prior generations,” says Mike Kinane, Head of US Bankcard at TD Bank.

“We’re relying less and less on cash, and while credit cards may not be a millennial’s payment method of choice, it’s still critical that they develop financial knowledge and habits to properly position themselves for sound credit health down the road.”

The Outcome: Millennials spend more than their older counterparts, but don’t use the rewards they earn Despite being more likely than other generations to pay for a group outing in order to earn rewards, thirty percent of millennials have let their credit card rewards expire (more than Gen-X at 14 percent and Baby Boomers at 9 percent).

This data point is surprising, given Millennials were the generation most likely to carry a balance on their credit card. Additionally, millennials spent $2,447 annually on dining, more than Gen-X ($1,923) and Baby Boomers ($1,486). If

they are using a card with 2 percent cash back on dining, they could be earning nearly $50 in rewards each year.

Based on the average cost of a cup of coffee in New York being $3.12, per a 2018 report by UBS, that could pay for over two weeks of coffee or almost four months of a Netflix subscription.

cial habits,” said Kinane.

“Through education and options like secured cards, younger generations can learn the responsibilities of having a credit card and start establishing good credit at a young age. It’s also worth noting that length of credit history is a significant factor in credit scores.”

The Long-Run: Millennials are leading the way in teaching their kids good credit habits Millennials were the generation most willing to help their children establish credit through a secured card (45 percent) or help with student loans (40 percent).

That said, more than half (55 percent) of respondents overall say they are not willing to help their children establish credit. This is particularly true for older generations, with 70 percent of Baby Boomers saying that they are not helping their children establish credit.

“Perhaps born out of growing up during the financial crisis and feeling the impact of student loans, millennials are driven to set their kids up for financial success and teach them good finan-

Survey Methodology MARU/Matchbox conducted an online survey for the first wave of this study between March 22 and March 28, 2017 and interviewed 1002 consumers. A second wave of this study was conducted between August 20 and August 30, 2018 using the Springboard America panel to speak with 1,000 consumers.

Springboard America is one of the leading online market research communities in the US, giving Americans the opportunity to participate in surveys and discussions that influence brands, products and services used every day. Both waves had consumers representative of the national population. A random national sample of this size has a margin of error of +/-3.1%. The data has been weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the national population.

COMMENTARY

House Chair Waters leads charge to return consumer protection to CFPB

BY CHARLENE CROWELL Deputy Director, The Center for Responsible Lending

On March 7, the House Financial Services Committee, chaired by Congresswoman Maxine Waters, marked the first time that the new Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) appeared for a hearing in this capacity. Entitled, Putting Consumers First? A Semi-Annual Review of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,” the session is the first of two mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Financial Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Twice a year, CFPB’s Director must report to each chamber of Congress.

But before the hearing, other actions signaled that Director Kathy Kraninger would likely be forced to defend both the Bureau’s actions and inactions that occurred at the hands of Trump political appointees. Under Mick Mulvaney, CFPB’s former Acting Director, a series of actions turned the agency’s focus away from consumers, regulation and enforcement to make its policies and structure more favorable to deregulation and business.

One day before the hearing, Congresswoman Waters and other majority members of the Financial Services Committee held a news conference to announce the reintroduction of the Consumers First Act. Initially filed in 2018 by Waters, the 2019 version has the same intent: to block and reverse the Trump Administration’s anti-consumer agenda.

ALTHOUGH DIRECTOR KRANINGER ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO SUSPEND THE PAYDAY RULE, CHANGES IN HOW THE BUREAU OPERATED WITH REGARD TO THESE LENDERS, BEGAN UNDER MULVANEY. WHILE AT CFPB, HE URGED CONGRESS TO REPEAL THE RULE AND JOINED A LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY A PAYDAY LENDER THAT SOUGHT TO INDEFINITELY SUSPEND THE RULE.

Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s Communications Deputy Director. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@ responsiblelending.org.

This year, Waters has the support of co-sponsoring lawmakers representing 19 states as diverse as California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina and Virginia. Another boost – the bill is also supported by 51 consumer, civil rights, and labor advocates.

“The bill reverses the harmful structural changes Mulvaney and his deputies made to damage the agency one-byone,” said Chairwoman Waters at the news conference. “We will be asking all of the questions that our members deem necessary to find out whether or not she is on the road to restoring much of the damage that was done by Mr. Mulvaney.”

Ohio’s Rep. Joyce Beatty, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, took direct aim

at the Bureau’s changed perspective on payday lending adding, “Under Trump’s CFPB director Mulvaney, the CFPB has reduced transparency and accountability, weakened enforcement…and became more interested in helping payday lenders who allegedly misled consumers and charged exorbitantly high interest rates, rather than protecting the American consumers they were sworn to serve.”

Readers may recall that during Black History Month, Director Kraninger announced the Bureau’s intent to suspend the August 2019 effective date of the long-awaited payday rule. After more than five years of public forums, rulemaking, research and thousands of public comments, Director Kraninger still intends to begin the rulemaking process anew.

In response, consumer, clergy, and civil rights advocates received updated information from the Center for Responsible Lending that pinpoints state by state, how current triple-digit interest rates (APRs) continue to harm consumers across the country. Regardless of a state’s population size or average incomes, the cost of borrowing payday loans remains a debt trap. Further, in states where these loans remain legal, www.thechicagocitizen.com

lenders continue to squeeze billions of dollars of fees from borrowers whose annual average earnings are $22,500.

Prepared by Charla Rios, a researcher with the Center for Responsible Lending, the updated payday map reveals that in 2019, 31 states charged 200 percent APRs or higher on payday loans. Of these, 18 states have APRs of 400 percent or more, three more – Idaho, Nevada, and Texas charge in excess of 600 percent.

The Lone Star State can rightfully claim one other distinction: its 661 percent APR is the nation’s highest.

That claim becomes even more curious when that figure is compared to the actions of more than 40 cities that have adopted some kind of regulation on these predatory loans. In 2011, the City of Dallas led the municipal curbs with an ensuing unsuccessful legal challenge. Fortunately, the Texas Supreme Court upheld the city’s restriction.

Despite these disappointing numbers, there have been recent and notable consumer victories on payday lending. Colorado and South Dakota successfully approved by voter referenda 36 percent payday rate caps. In each of these referenda, voters supported rate caps by 75 percent majorities.

“When no rate caps exist, payday

lenders become more predatory as they charge even higher triple-digit interest rates that financially bury people in debt,” said Rios. “The 2019 map shows just how much real reform is needed at the state and federal levels.”

Although Director Kraninger announced a plan to suspend the payday rule, changes in how the Bureau operated with regard to these lenders began under Mulvaney. While at CFPB, he urged Congress to repeal the rule and joined a lawsuit brought by a payday lender that sought to indefinitely suspend the rule.

Earlier and as a member of Congress representing South Carolina, Mulvaney opposed the idea of creating the CFPB and counted payday lenders among his top donors.

The 2017 payday rule was promulgated after five years of hearings from a variety of stakeholders and everyday citizens. There was also extensive research, and a public comment period where literally thousands of statements documented this financial exploitation wrought by payday loans.

“Eliminating this protection is plain and simple a huge gift to predatory lenders so they can keep borrowers trapped in unaffordable debt with interest rates exceeding 300 percent,” concluded Diane Standaert, a CRL EVP and Director of State Policy.

Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s Communications Deputy Director. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.

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BUSINESS Progress for working women has stalled, according to The Economist’s 2019 glass-ceiling index Despite growing attention to the gender pay gap, the #MeToo movement and calls to improve opportunities for women in the workplace over the past year, The Economist’s 2019 glass-ceiling index (GCI) suggests that progress for women in the workplace has stalled.

The GCI is a yearly assessment of where women have the best and worst chances of equal treatment at work in countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of mostly rich countries.

PRNewsfoto/The Economist

The GCI, which combines data on higher education, labour-force participation, pay,

child-care costs, maternity and paternity rights, business-school applications and representation

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in senior jobs to create a ranking of 29 OECD countries, shows that the Nordic countries are still the best places to work if you are a woman. The Nordics are particularly good at helping women complete university, secure a job, access senior positions, and take advantage of quality parentalleave systems and flexible work schedules.

Turkey, Japan and South Korea continue to rank as the worst places to be a working woman in The Economist’s glass-ceiling index.

Societal norms in Asia still expect women to choose between having a family or a career.

The index does reflect a few bright spots this year, including women in governmental positions of power. Spain’s prime minister appointed the first female-majority cabinet since the country returned to a democracy in 1975. More American women than ever were voted into Congress during the 2018 mid-term elections. Theresa May and Angela Merkel still hold their respective countries’ highest office, which may inspire more women to run for election.

Highlights of this year’s index: The gender pay gap remains largely unchanged at around 14% l The share of women in the labour force has crept slightly higher to 64%, but this is still 16 percentage points below the male average l The share of women in management has flatlined since last year at 32% l Fewer women took the GMAT business-school entry exams, but this is in line with an overall fall in both men and women taking the test l The share of women on company boards slightly increased to 23% This is the seventh year that The Economist has released its glass-ceiling index. When it was launched in 2013 there were five indicators and 26 countries; today it consists of ten indicators including maternity and paternity leave for 29 OECD countries.

To view the full interactive index, please visit: https:// www.economist.com/graphicdetail/2019/03/08/the-glassceiling-index l

The glass-ceiling index 2019 Best and worst OECD countries to be a working woman 21. Germany 11. Canada 1. Sweden 22. Greece 12. Italy 2. Norway 23. Czech Republic 13. Slovakia 3. Iceland 24. Britain 14. Austria 4. Finland 25. Netherlands 15. Spain 5. France 26. Switzerland 16. Israel 6. Belgium 27. Turkey 17. Australia 7. Denmark 28. Japan 18. New Zealand 8. Portugal 29. South Korea 19. Ireland 9. Hungary 20. United States 10. Poland www.thechicagocitizen.com

CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of March 20, 2019

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NEWS

Survey shows teacher shortages growing throughout Illinois Consequences include larger classes, canceled programs, use of unqualified teachers

BY PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com

SPRINGFIELD – The shortage of teachers in Illinois has gotten more serious over the past year, reaching into virtually every subject area and region of the state, and forcing schools to either cancel programs, enlarge class sizes or use teachers who are not fully licensed in a particular subject area.

Those are the conclusions of a new report released Monday from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, which was based on survey responses from 527 of the 858 district superintendents in Illinois.

Of those, the report said, 85 percent reported experiencing some level of teacher shortage this year, up from 78 percent in a similar survey conducted in 2017. Nearly one-third (32 percent) reported a “serious” shortage.

Nearly two-thirds of those responding (63 percent) also reported having a “serious shortage” of substitute teachers.

As a result, the report stated, the superintendents who responded to the survey reported a total of 1,032 vacant positions that still had not been filled by the time classes started last fall, or were filled by people who were not fully qualified for the position.

“Ultimately, what’s not really stated in there,

is that there are about 120,000 kids who are being impacted directly by positions that are going unfilled this year,” said Kelton Davis, the regional superintendent for Monroe and Randolph counties, and chairman of the regional superintendents association.

The report said shortages were reported in almost every subject area, with foreign languages, various special education fields and computer science leading the list of classroom subjects. There were also significant shortages of school psychologists and library and media specialists.

Shortages were also reported in every region of the state, although they were more severe in southern and central Illinois than in the suburban districts around Chicago.

In southern Illinois, 94 districts reported seeing “significantly fewer qualified applicants” than they did five years ago. That compares with 90 percent of the districts in central Illinois; 78 percent in northwest Illinois; and only 42 percent in the Cook County and surrounding suburbs.

As a result of those shortages, the report said 99 districts reported canceling a total of 225 course offerings due to a lack of qualified teachers, while 86 districts reported converting more

than 200 classes to online learning because they lacked a qualified teacher for the subject.

Davis, however, said he knows of many districts that have resorted to putting more students into a classroom, or using teachers who are working with a temporary license or an emergency substitute license to fill in gaps.

Nancy Latham, executive director of the Council on Teacher Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said it’s difficult to pinpoint all of the causes of the growing teacher shortage.

One of the factors, she said, is that there are more teachers from the “baby boom” generation now retiring than there are young people graduating from schools of education. And a big part of that, she said, is about money.

She noted that more than 90 percent of the vacancies reported in 2017 were in schools that received “below-adequate” funding and which had been reducing their staff in recent years.

But another factor, she said, is that the teaching profession no longer has the same kind of allure it once enjoyed.

“If you look at the national media reports over the last five years, the profession has taken

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a hit,” she said.

In fact, the report referenced a 2018 poll

by Phi Delta Kappa, a nationwide professional organization for educators, which found that 54 percent of the adults it surveyed said they would not want their children taking up teaching as a career – the first time a majority of respondents said that in the 50-year history of the survey.

Democratic state Sen. Andy Manar, of Bunker Hill, commented about the report on Twitter, saying the report bolsters his argument in favor of a bill he is sponsoring to phase in an increase in the minimum wage for full-time teachers to $40,000 by the 2023-2024 school year.

Davis, however, said there are many districts that could not afford to do that without significantly more state funding, or raising local property taxes.

The report recommends the state take at least three steps to address the shortages: streamlining the process for obtaining substitute teacher licenses, especially for retired teachers who want to go back to work in their old districts; expanding programs for developing new teachers, such as the Grow Your Own Teacher program; and gathering more data to more accurately predict, by district, where shortages will occur and to identify unique challenges facing each district.

6 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of March 20, 2019

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CLASSIFIEDS SERVICE

SERVICE

Small colleges such as Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, are on the forefront of offering new programs, in part because they’re able to move more quickly and can provide the kind of one-on-one relationships that students seek.

To that end, Drury is launching a new academic experience called Your Drury Fusion in the fall of 2019 that helps students customize their education while guaranteeing they’ll graduate with credentials in both professional and life interests.

In addition to majors and minors, Drury offers a growing slate of multidisciplinary themed certificates that cross intellectual boundaries, challenging students to prove and apply what they’ve learned. Each certificate is 12 credit hours and consists of three hands-on courses and a capstone project.

For example, a certificate in Graphic Storytelling combines courses in literature, art and publishing, and challenges students to create a graphic novel. Other certificates focus on data analytics, health and wellbeing, and environmental problems. All aim to teach students to think critically about projects or challenges.

Students can use the certificates to create projects that relate to their major area of study and add these to their digital portfolio upon graduation, giving them an impressive list of experiences to show employers and grad schools. The program guarantees that students will engage in at least three real-world projects. The students can even apply for grants to fund these experiences.

The program is based almost entirely in small and highly interactive learning environments. While many small schools boast a low student-to-faculty ratio, this program backs that up with small group discussion and team-based projects.

Mentorship is so vital that Drury gives every student a mentoring squad. A newly founded Compass Center matches students with their very own team of advisors to help with academic, career and educational success.

A 2018 survey of undergraduates by Civitas Learning found that about a quarter had gone more than six months without contacting their advisor—and about 3 percent had never done so. To address this gap, advising at Drury starts before students even hit campus.

Internships, research opportunities, study abroad trips and a vibrant on-campus social scene continue to be a part of the experience at Drury. __________________________________

Darrell Garth

President /Publisher

Janice Garth

Sales Manager General Manager

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(NAPSI)—Colleges across the country are adapting to a new landscape in which prospective students are more carefully scrutinizing their choices. High schoolers are savvier than ever—more than a third now apply at nine or more colleges, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Applying to 15 or 20 schools is not uncommon, counselors say.

COLLEGE CORNER

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Driven by a desire to make a difference, today’s students want to know they’ll receive a solid foundation for both a successful career and a fulfilling and satisfying life. They’re looking for programs that go beyond the classroom and offer hands-on experiences and real-world projects.

They’re also seeking mentors who will help guide them along the way.

This space can be yours. Place your ad today. Call us at (773) 783-1251.

With all of that in mind, they’re asking college admission reps everywhere a key question: How does your school guarantee graduates will get the most out of the experience and truly be ready for what comes next?

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Small Colleges Can Mean Big Ideas

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Here’s where you can sell your professional services, your home, used auto, gently used appearel, rent a apartment or sell your used house hold goods. You can place your ad for a reasonable price. Call for a quote today: (773) 783-1251.

Citizen Newspaper Group Inc., (CNGI), Publisher of the Chatham-Southeast, South End, Chicago Weekend, South Suburban and Hyde Park Citizen and Citizen Suburban Times Weekly. Our weekly publications are published on Wednesday’s (publishing 52 issues annually). Written permission is required to reproduce contents in whole or in part from the publisher. Citizen Newspaper Group, Inc. does not assume the responsibility for nor are we able to return unsolicited materials, therefore they become property of the newspaper and can or will be discarded or used at the newspapers disgratation. Deadlines for advertising is every Friday at noon. Deadlines for press releases are Thursdays at 10 am prior to the next week’s edition. Please send information for the calendar at least three weeks prior to the event.

Send to: editorial@thechicagocitizen.com. For more information on subscriptions or advertising, call us at (773) 783-1251 or fax (872) 208-8793. Our offices are located at 8741 South Greenwood Suite# 107, Chicago, Illinois 60619.

12 | CITIZEN | Chatham Southeast | Week of March 20, 2019

RISE ABOVE I N A CA D I L L AC S U V

20 19 X T 5

DURING THE

LUXURY COLLECTION

ULTRA-LOW MILEAGE LEASE FOR WELL-QUALIFIED LESSEES S

A

L

E

S

E

V

E

N

T

$

409

PER MONTH 1

39 MONTHS

$

$

0

4,799

FIRST MONTH’S PAYMENT DUE AT SIGNING AFTER ALL OFFERS

No security deposit required. Tax, title, license, dealer extra. Mileage charge of $.25/mile over 32,500 miles. At participating dealers only.

PLUS, CURRENT ELIGIBLE NON-GM OWNERS/LESSEES RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL $1500 ALLOWANCE 2 TOWARD THE LEASE OF A NEW 2019 XT5.

1. Example based on national average vehicle selling price. Each dealer sets its own price. Your payments may vary. Payments are for a 2019 XT5 Luxury Collection with an MSRP of $49,490. 39 monthly payments total $15,951.

Payments may be higher in some states. Option to purchase at lease end for an amount to be determined at lease signing. GM Financial must approve lease. Take retail delivery by 4/1/19. Mileage charge of $.25/mile over 32,500 miles.

Lessee pays for maintenance, repair, excess wear and disposition fee of $595 or less at end of lease. Not available with some other offers. 2. Must be a current owner or lessee of a 1999 model year or newer non-GM vehicle for at least 30 days prior to the new vehicle sale. Not available with some other offers. Take retail delivery by 4/30/19. See dealer for details. © 2019 General Motors. All Rights Reserved. Cadillac® XT5®