Mississippi State University will host a graduate student program discussing financial aid Monday in the Fowlkes Auditorium in the Colvard Student Union.
Jonathan Turner, graduate student and host of the event, said the program was created to help students learn more about financial aid. 
“The program is to help students fill out their FAFSA and learn about different scholarships and grants available and help them pay for school,” Turner said.
Turner said he believes this event will assist many students who are in dire need of financial aid because of the tuition increase.
“It is important because tuition is huge, and this program is designed to help a lot of people in need,” Turner said.
Turner said his goal for this program is to educate students about different financial options of which they may not have been aware.
“I really hope students come and find out information and pass it on, which makes it easier to learn information about all the financial aid available to students. You came here to get an education, you might as well learn how to pay for it,” Turner said.
Joshua Thompson, financial literacy outreach coordinator and speaker at the event, said he and Jonathan designed the event to assist students and discuss how essential it is to be aware of all financial aid options available.
“The program is geared toward helping students and share the importance of being financially literate,” Thompson said.
Thompson said he believes financial aid is a key factor in a student’s college career.
“Financial aid is a crucial part of campus life. If it were not for financial aid, most students would not be here,” Thompson said.
Thompson said he wants students to learn about financial aid so they can reach their academic goals.
“We really want to help students complete their goals to get an education, let them know about the process and get them thinking and create awareness about financial aid,” Thompson said.
Carmen Wilder, assistant director of student leadership and community engagement at MSU, said Turner created this program because he knows the struggle college students go through when figuring out how to pay for college.
“Jonathan decided to put on this program because he is familiar with the struggle that many college students undergo in looking for ways to pay for college. He envisioned having a program where students could learn about grants, scholarships and how to correctly complete a FASFA form for financial aid,” Wilder said.
Wilder said she believes the event could really help students become more knowledgeable about the  aid possibilities available to them.
“In my personal opinion, this event could aid students (graduate and undergraduate) in becoming more aware of the aid and opportunities that are out there to assist them in paying for college, whether it is through loans, grants, scholarships or a combination of all,” Wilder said. “Often the paperwork needed to apply for financial aid may seem daunting to a student, but our financial aid office is there to help walk students through the process and be available for questions.” 
Wilder said she believes both students and schools benefit from students getting a better education. Students not being able to get financial aid could result in colleges losing great students.
 “Schools and students both benefit from students becoming better educated about financial aid. If a student leaves MSU as a result of him or her not being able to pay tuition, we all lose. MSU loses a student and all he or she had to offer, not simply in revenue from lost tuition and fees, but in the way that each student who is passionate about furthering their education adds something unique to our campus and to our community,” Wilder said. “What is most critical to the mission of MSU, the student also loses the opportunity to further their education.”