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Lions mentor Galen Duncan at ease this offseason

By WTOP Staff

LARRY LAGE
AP Sports Writer

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — As the Detroit Lions ended their mandatory minicamp, some veterans sprinted off the field and toward the locker room to begin a long break before training camp.

Detroit’s drafted rookies were not in a rush. They’re not going anywhere soon.

Senior director of player development Galen Duncan gathered first-round pick Eric Ebron and the team’s other selections from this year’s draft after practice Thursday for a few minutes.

Ebron said Duncan reminded them that they are spending the next week in town before going to the NFL rookie symposium. The tight end recalls Duncan telling him and his teammates to make good choices off the field “every single day.”

“Even though you should be a man and do the right things yourself, it is not bad to have those kinds of reminders,” Ebron said. “Galen is a great dude.”

The 42-year-old Duncan is in his eighth year with the Lions. His job is about to be put to a test as it is annually this time of year because players have more than a month off between minicamp and training camp, but he’s not worried about having a lot of headaches.

“This is usually a tense time for me,” he said. “But I am as at ease — and I’m going to knock on wood — as I have ever been here. I can’t imagine being the age of our players with the amount of money and time that they have, and all the attention that they garnish. As Biggie Smalls said, ‘More money, more problems.’ But no one on the team wants to be ‘that guy,’ because we’ve got an awesome locker room.”

Duncan, the only person listed in the team’s player development department, played basketball at and graduated from Lake Superior State. He went on to earn a masters’ degree in social work from Wayne State and has a doctorate in health and ports psychology from Walden University.

Duncan said the NFL began hiring people like him to help players off the field about 20 years ago, and coach Jim Caldwell has worked alongside some of Duncan’s peers with the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens.

“Across the board every team has a guy like him, but I think he’s pretty special,” Caldwell said.

The players do, too.

When they walk off the field or out of the locker room, Duncan is there.

If they’re bowling with teammates, he is probably at the alley as well.

“Galen is a jack of all trades with his hands in every cookie jar,” second-year tight end Joseph Fauria said. “Whether you want tickets to a Tigers game or whether you get in trouble off the field — not that I have — or need help getting your passport, he’s always there for you. He’s so important, especially for the rookies.”

“You can’t have the high cost for low living — that’s Caldwell’s line — and we’re all trying to stay out of trouble. Galen helps us get educated about making the right choices.”

Duncan said his ultimate goals are to help the team win a Super Bowl and to assist players as they strive to be successful on and off the field.

“My job is to be seen as a mentor,” he said. “I need them to be comfortable with me, to talk to me about anything, because my job is to help them. I can’t be a snitch. I’m not required to report everything that goes on with every player unless the behavior is going to hurt them or the team or if it is going to get exposed anyway.”

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Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/larrylage

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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