The Michigan Daily - Monday, August 14, 2006 - 3
M-PACT
Continued from Page 1.
one-third of out-of-state students need
financial assistance.
One student's financial story
Architecture senior Armando Lopez is
an out-of-state student from Guadalupe,
Arizona. His mother, who never gradu-
ated from high school, works as a sales
associate at JC Penney, making about
$10,000 per year.
Lopez's said his father was absent while
he was growing up and he has three young-
er siblings - Bianca, Steve and Michael.
According to the United States Depart-
ment of Health and Human Services 2006
Poverty Guidelines, a five-person family
with an income of $23,400 or less is living
below the poverty line.
Lopez left his mother's home to live
with his grandparents because there was
no access to quality education in his
mother's community.
By living with his grandfather, he was
able to attend a public school where he ran
track and cross country, participated in
the orchestra and marching band and was
the vice president of the Christian club.
But, Lopez said, both communities were
equally impoverished and dangerous.
When Lopez was younger, he was
asked to be in a gang, but refused. He said
if someone drives through Guadalupe in a
nice car or walks by in an expensive suit,
residents stare with resentment. A relative
of Lopez has been shot in Guadalupe.
"It's a really scary place," Lopez said.
He said there were many gangs in his
community and he often heard gunshots
and police sirens.
"When you live there, it's very hard to
get out; he said.
Lopez knew it was the right choice to
leave Guadalupe when a relative and his
friends slashed Lopez's car tires. Lopez
said lie thinks they may have acted this
way out of envy - they knew Lopez was
planning to move away, and this particular
family member and his friends were not.
Lopez is the first person in his family
to attend college. When Lopez learned
of his acceptance to the University, he
had doubts about attending because of
financial constraints. Lopez said his per-
spective changed when a recruiter for the
University named Penny called.
Lopez said he told the recruiter that he
probably would not attend the University
because he could not even afford to fly up
to see the school. Penny was able to get
Lopez into contact with a local alumni club
that later paid for his airplane ticket to visit
the University. The club also found a stu-
dent for Lopez to stay with during his visit.
Lopez said he "fellin love" with the Uni-
versity after spending a day in Ann Arbor.
Since his LEGO-playing days in kin-
dergarten, Lopez said, he has intended to
study architecture.
Last year, Lopez's estimated financial
need was $43,290. He received a $9,000
grant from the University, more than
$7,000 in federal grants, several thousand
dollars in scholarships and about $7,000
in federal and private loans.
Lopez said his family is unable to pay
i for any of his expenses, except for a few
hundred dollars in emergency situations.
Faced with the pressures of living on
his own, he maxed out his credit card dur-
ing his first year at the University.
Lopezsaidthatafter visiting the financial
aid office and asking if they had resources
to assist him, he was able to obtain addi-
tional funds. He said he has realized dur-
ing his time at the University that it is fairly
simpleto askforadditional aid.
After going on the Internet and
requesting aid, "it is pretty much auto-
matically approved," he said.
Lopez has had to apply for addition-
al aid when in need of items such as
a winter jacket or to pay for a dentist
appointment.
As an architecture student, Lopez has
an even heavier financial burden. He says
the suppliesheuses for class - in addition
to books - cost about $1,000 per year.
The supplies he needs include a drawing
board, required computer software and
materials to construct models like wood,
concrete mix or cardboard.
Lopez said he wants to make it clear
that it is possible to attend the University
without depending on family funds.
Lopez said he owes special thanks
to the alumni clubs in Phoenix and Sun
City, Arizona.
"They are like my family," he said. "I
really didn't have role models growing up.
The Phoenix and Sun City alumni club
members are the role models I've need-
ed," Lopez said.
Lopez said he plans to earn an
MBA and a master's degree in archi-
tecture. He said he hopes to develop
affordable housing in New York City
NORTH QUAD
Continued from Page 2
Robert A.M. Stern on the North Quad project.
While North Quad is to be the northern .
"gateway" to Central Campus, Weill Hall is
often billed as the southern gateway to Cen-
tral Campus.
The hall's "Michigan" red brick gives
it an overall appearance similar to the
Michigan Union, Hanlon said. The firm's
work on Southwest Quadrangle, a similar
academic and residence hall complex at
Georgetown University, also contributed
to the decision to hire Robert A.M. Stern,
Hanlon said.
Although University alum and employee
David Fulmer said he hoped that the Frieze
Building would not be torn down, he said
the new firm may make North Quad's design
more fitting.
"I'm looking forward to the new design,"
he said. "I like Robert A.M. Stern and I like
Weill Hall."
University officials hope to preserve the
Carnegie library attached to the Frieze Build-
ing if possible.
Robert A.M. Stern has previous experience
preserving other Carnegie library collections
across the country. "One of the objectives
is to appropriately memorialize the Frieze
Building," Hanlon said.
Elliot Bergman, the band leader of Nomo, plays at The Ark
Saturday night. The show brought Nomo home to Ann Arbor
after a four-month long national tour.
Last Chance For Fall!
-Small Classes
-'Expert Instructors
'7-point avg score increase
- # Courses Start:
August 12
* August 19 ,
September 5 Ie
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- Three campus branches email: umcu@umcu.org
- StudentVlSA credit card phone: 734-662-8200
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