Activities marking this year’s Financial Aid Week begin next Monday at NIU.

The week, designed to acquaint high school and college students nationwide on state, federal and private grants available to needy students to help them complete their education, was launched in 1983 by Gov. James Thompson.

Jerry Augsburger, NIU financial aid director, said on Tuesday that this year’s week will emphasize the importance of the financial aid program. “We want to reach all students who are either having financial problems, or anticipate having such problems during their studies,” he said.

Three workshops will be held from Tuesday to Thursday in Room 503 at the Holmes Student Center. The workshops, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. each day, will be conducted by counselors from the Financial Aid office and will educate students on how to search for scholarships.

They also will be taught techniques for eliminating delays in processing financial aid applications.

Cheryl Schaffer, this year’s coordinator of the Financial Aid Week at NIU, said aside from the workshops, information tables will be set up at the front of the Pow Wow cafeteria from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to furnish interested students with application forms. She said the tables also will be placed at the residence halls.

Financial Aid counselors will visit these halls during the lunch and dinner hours to distribute information packages to students who may not make it to the information booths.