Political Quotes

“I would like to take a few moments to thank Dr. Al Bowman for all he has done to keep the doors of educational opportunity open for young people in my State of Illinois. After nearly 10 years as President of Illinois State University, and a total of 35 years of service to ISU, Dr. Bowman is retiring. But the mark he leaves will continue to benefit ISU and the people of Illinois for years to come. The ISU Dr. Bowman is leaving is more financially stable and more attractive to top talent. Its student body is more diverse. Under Dr. Bowman's leadership, Illinois State University has ranked as one of America's top 100 public universities for 7 straight years. A hallmark of Dr. Bowman's presidency at ISU has been his determination to make sure that students graduate with the best possible education and the lowest possible debt. Illinois State University has done much more than any school I know of to make sure its students are able to make informed choices about student loans. The university asks each student to meet with financial counselors. Those counselors push students to borrow the minimum they need--not the most they can get. As a result, ISU's students graduate with an average student debt of $22,720--a sizable debt, to be sure, but well below the national average for 4-year, public institutions. And the quality of education is unquestioned. ISU's graduates are finding work in their field and paying down their loans.…”