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Ana Ortiz is proud of her TV show, ‘Devious Maids’

By WTOP Staff

MIKE CIDONI LENNOX
AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ana Ortiz was skeptical.

Yes, the project came from two classy Hollywood acts: “Desperate Housewives” creator Marc Cherry and, serving as a producer, “Housewives” star Eva Longoria. And, yes, the show would be a lavishly filmed English-language production for an American TV studio starring five Hispanic women.

Ortiz said her initial reaction to the first script was: “Maids? It’s got to be maids?”

So Ortiz, who had appeared on ABC’s “Ugly Betty” (2006-2010), understood when some of the harshest initial criticism of “Devious Maids” came from the Latino community.

“The Latino community was the first out of the gate being really hard on us,” the New York-born Ortiz, who is of Puerto Rican and Irish descent, said in a recent interview.

Now the soapy dramedy, which concludes its second season on Sunday (10 p.m. EDT), is among Lifetime’s highest-rated shows. And the series is riding high on a recent acknowledgment: All five leads are nominated for Imagen Awards, to be presented Aug. 1 in Beverly Hills, which “recognize and reward positive portrayals of Latinos in all forms of media.”

“And so, to have these nominations from the Imagens, it is such a beautiful full-circle moment,” Ortiz said. “I’m so proud for all the girls. And I’m really proud of the show.”

Ortiz, 43, said Longoria has kept an eye on the scripts, assuring the five women are portrayed as three-dimensional characters and not Latino stereotypes.

She said Sunday’s show is “a beautiful finale, actually.”

“What can I say? There will be a wedding, a gorgeous wedding. But the happiness of the wedding will be short-lived.”

Ortiz said she’s proud of the way Latinas are portrayed on “Devious Maids.” But, she added, “Eva made a really good point about it. She said, ‘I’ll really be happy for the day when it’s just: Here’s a new show. It doesn’t have to be a new show with five women in the leads, or five Latinas in the leads. It’s just a new show.'”

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Online:

http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/devious-maids

http://www.imagen.org/awards

http://www.imagen.org/awards

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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.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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