RSS Feed

Patterson Garden Club members attended the Louisiana Garden Club Federation District 3 meeting Oct. 26 at Magdalen Place in Abbeville. Abbeville Garden Club hosted the meeting to the theme “Pearls and Palmettos.” Members in attendance were President Evelyn Estay, Iris Roy, Linda Thomas, Daisy LeBlanc and Sharon Larson.

For 18-year-old Liza Miezejeski, choosing the right college meant balancing her desire for adventure and her fear of debt.
“I didn’t want to stay at home, in my hometown, just to save money,” said the Connecticut native, referring to community college. “I still wanted to get out there and do something.”
But as she toured U.S. campuses, none excited her enough to justify pricey tuition. “I don’t want to be in debt for my entire life,” said Miezejeski, who describes her family as “very middle class.”
So she set her sights overseas. Her mom, Laura, heard an NPR story about tuition-free schools in Germany, and together, they began researching European institutions. They landed on Anglo-American University in Prague, where Miezejeski is now a first-year student.
AAU’s tuition isn’t free, but at about $3,600 per semester, it’s roughly half that of her state’s flagship public school, the University of Connecticut — making it worth the roughly 4,000-mile trip. Plus, as is common in Europe, her program is three years, saving her at least one year’s tuition.
With U.S. college tuitions at an all-time high, a slowly growing number of students like Miezejeski are pursuing full degrees abroad. In 2016, there were an estimated 48,000 students doing so, up from an estimated 42,000 in 2011, according to data collected by the Institute of International Education.
An education that requires a passport isn’t right for everyone. Financial aid options might be limited and some international universities are expensive, too. Plus, students will likely need bigger budgets for travel and daily expenses. And while some U.S. employers value international education, certain professions may require a domestic degree.
Still, for students who choose inexpensive schools in less pricey locations, an education abroad can be affordable.
DETERMINING THE DESTINATION
There are more than 1,700 English-language bachelor’s degree programs in 29 continental European countries, according to Beyond the States, the U.S.-based service Miezejeski used to explore her options. More than 50 have free tuition - even for American students — and more than 350 charge less than $4,000 per year, according to the company.
Most students pursuing degrees abroad go to Anglophone countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, or global powerhouses such as France, Germany and China, according to the IIE data. But students concerned about the cost of living might benefit from exploring less obvious options.
Schools in Estonia are solid choices for students pursuing computer science, said Jennifer Viemont, who founded Beyond the States in 2015 after spending months researching international college options for her son Sam. Viemont also recommends schools in the Czech Republic and Hungary because of their wide-ranging degree programs and English-friendly environments.
Having the right guidance is key to understanding foreign education systems. These resources can help:
—International College Options, a nonprofit, hosts college fairs in five U.S. cities.
—The National Association for College Admission Counseling’s “Guide to International University Admission “ includes tips for applying to schools in the most popular destinations.
—Beyond the States is a paid service that offers a database of English-taught programs in continental Europe, monthly group calls and individualized advice.
FUNDING A FOREIGN EDUCATION
An overseas education might be cheaper than one in the U.S., but students who qualify for Pell Grants and other free U.S. government money should consider staying stateside for school. Federal grants don’t apply abroad.
Students should submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA, before making any decisions to find out if they qualify for financial aid. While federal grants aren’t valid overseas, federal student loans may be. More than 400 schools in 40 countries worldwide accept them.
Those same schools also accept funds from tax-advantaged 529 funds. Families can use 529 savings to pay for a non-eligible school too, but they’ll have to pay income taxes and a penalty on the earnings portion of the amount they withdraw.
On top of tuition, fees and living costs, students should budget for travel, a visa and international health insurance.

August 18, 1925 – October 29, 2017
Funeral services celebrating the life of Anna Bell Robison Mendoza will be held Friday, November 3, 2017, at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Baldwin during a 12 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial. Following the Mass she will be laid to rest in the Sacred Heart Cemetery Mausoleum. Father Cedric Sonnier will be the Celebrant for the Mass and conduct the services. Serving as pallbearers will be her six grandsons, Jack, James, and Ryan Ruskoski, Steven Burgess, and Nick and Jesse Mendoza. A gathering of family and friends will begin at 9 a.m. with the Holy Rosary being prayed at 10 a.m.
Anna Bell was a native of Evangeline and an 85 year resident of Baldwin who passed away peacefully at the age of 92 surrounded by her family at her home on Sunday, October 29, 2017. She was a devout Catholic who attended Mass as often as possible and prayed the rosary several times a day. Bell loved people and never met a stranger. She loved her part-time job at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse where she worked as a switchboard operator for 28 years, and looked forward to all the girls in the courthouse taking their coffee breaks with her. She devoted her entire life to her husband, children, and grandchildren, always putting their needs before hers. She loved working in her yard and was still cutting her grass well into her 80’s. She did beautiful Crochet work, loved her morning newspapers, working crossword puzzles, and watching her game shows.
Survivors include four children, Susan M. Lanclos, Brenda M. Ruskoski and her husband Ronnie, Marilyn M. Burgess and her husband Cliff, and Brad J. Mendoza and his wife Sandy; ten grandchildren, Lisa L. Champagne and her husband Jimmy, Taren Ruskoski Boutte and her husband Blake, Jack Ruskoski and his companion Debbie Cordy, James Ruskoski and his wife Betty, Ryan Ruskoski and his wife Rebecca, Steven Burgess and his wife Maria, Ashley Spivey and her husband Montie, Nick Mendoza, Jesse Mendoza and his wife Maegan, and Katie Mendoza and her companion Nick Courville; 16 great grandchildren; three great great grandchildren; one sister, Georgie Estelle Jaques; a very special friend, Rose Marie Hoyt Weber; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 71 years, Chelly P. Mendoza; an infant daughter, Toni Marie Mendoza; an infant son; Chelly P. Mendoza Jr.; her parents, Lige Robison and Bella Marie Parr Robison; four brothers, Lige Robison and his wife Nelwyn, Douglas Bennett Robison and his wife Ruth, Robert Ray “Bobby” Robison and his wife Evelyn, and Norman Leroy Robison and his wife Margie; and one sister, Sadie Helen Robison LaGrange and her husband Sterling.
The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to her devoted caregiver, Mona Adams, for her loving and compassionate care given to Bell, as well as to Dr. Roland Degeyter and staff, the staff of Franklin Foundation Hospital, and the staff of Heart of Hospice.
Family and friends may view the obituary and express their condolences online by visiting www.iberts.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Ibert’s Mortuary, Inc., 1007 Main Street, Franklin, La. 70538, (337) 828-5426.
(Paid Notice)