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Magic Johnson ready to assist tech in diversity

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL LIEDTKE
AP Technology Writer

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Retired Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson became famous for dishing out assists to his teammates during his Hall of Fame basketball career. Now, as an entrepreneur focused on minority markets, he says he is ready to help Silicon Valley hire more blacks and Latinos to diversify the technology industry’s largely white and Asian workforce.

Johnson believes his own Beverly Hills, California-based company could connect major technology employers with more African-American and Hispanic engineers if they call upon him. Magic Johnson Enterprises provides financing and consulting for businesses seeking to operate in cities with large minority populations.

“We have to make sure the Apples and Googles of the world get together with others who know what they are doing and who can make a difference, whether it’s myself or somebody else,” Johnson told The Associated Press Wednesday. He made his remarks after appearing at a Silicon Valley conference put on by software maker Intuit Inc., one of many technology companies that have recently released reports confirming their payrolls consist primarily of white and Asian men.

The lack of diversity has embarrassed an industry that prides itself on its progressive thinking and meritocratic policies. Google, Apple and Facebook have all vowed to take steps to create workforces that look more like the overall population.

Silicon Valley has a lot of ground to make up. At Intuit, African-Americans make up just 4 percent of the workforce while Latinos represent 6 percent. It’s even worse at Google and Facebook, where just 2 percent of the U.S. staff is black. Cutting across the U.S. in all industries, 12 percent of the workforce is black and 14 percent is Hispanic.

“We think it’s important that our employee base reflects the customers we serve, and we aren’t where we need to be,” Intuit CEO Brad Smith said Wednesday. “Magic’s offer? I won’t be surprised if we take him up on it. He is clearly a brilliant man and he understands how to (diversify).”

Besides running his own company, Johnson also is co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women’s National Basketball Association, which has the best diversity record among professional sports leagues, according to recent study by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics. Johnson also is part of a group that owns the Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball.

Johnson, 55, was mentioned in the racially charged remarks that led to the NBA’s ouster of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, who denigrated Johnson as a bad role model for children because he had HIV. More recently, Johnson criticized Atlanta Hawks ownership and management for derogatory comments about blacks.

Unlike those situations, Johnson isn’t interpreting the Silicon Valley’s diversity issues as a sign of blatant discrimination.

“When you think about the leaders of these (technology) companies, they know they have to do something,” Johnson said. “It’s just a matter of understanding who to reach out to, who to partner with and then making sure that everybody wins. It’s time to do it.”

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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