NEW YORK, NY—September 9, 2008—Siegel+Gale, one of the world’s premier strategic branding firms, announced today the creation of a new worldwide Higher Education and Nonprofit Practice and the appointment of Peter S. Cohl as its Global Director.

"As funds tighten and global competition increases, higher education and nonprofits are seeking every advantage they can find in order to better reach their audiences. Capturing and conveying the identity, the essence, of an institution has never been more crucial," says Alan Siegel, chairman and CEO of Siegel+Gale. "Although Siegel+Gale has long been active in the sector, this is the perfect time to create a practice devoted to higher education and nonprofit institutions, and Peter Cohl is the perfect person to lead our effort."

Peter S. Cohl has significant experience in higher education, communications, marketing, and the arts – leading engagements with The Johns Hopkins University, College Board, Brown University, and Florida State University, as well as many of the best-known global corporations.

"We recognize that higher education and nonprofit institutions operate differently than the corporate world," says Mr. Cohl. "Budgets are tighter and consensus is critical to success. In creating a practice devoted to higher education and nonprofit institutions, we seek to leverage our vast experience in these environments to help institutions achieve more with less – globally."

Other Siegel+Gale not-for-profit and higher-education clients have included AARP, United States Air Force, the Tony Awards, Breastcancer.org, Phoenix House, Legal Aid Society of New York, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, Berklee College of Music, Cornell University, The New School, and MBA.com.

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Parents Confused About Aid Options, Siegel+Gale Study Finds

The parents of this fall’s college-bound freshmen may be breathing a collective sigh of relief that their children have cleared the admissions hurdle. But few parents understand the terms necessary to make fully informed financial aid decisions, says a new survey conducted by leading global strategic branding firm Siegel+Gale.

"Parents really don’t understand the true cost of college and the financial help that is available," states Peter S. Cohl, Siegel+Gale’s Higher Education practice leader, "nor do they understand the difference between loans, grants, scholarships and work-study funds.

"We found that more than three-quarters of survey respondents did not know the difference between cheaper government subsidized loans and unsubsidized loans, which are more expensive. And shockingly, 40 percent of working class families surveyed didn’t realize that Pell Grants are not loans, but federal grants, which do not have to be repaid."

Siegel+Gale surveyed 202 parents of college-age children who have applied for financial aid in the past two years and who have evaluated financial aid award letters from schools. Yet according to the survey, the two major types of federal student loans, Stafford loans and Perkins loans, were correctly identified by only 53 percent and 33 percent of parents respectively.

More than three-quarters of parents (77 percent) do not know the difference between a subsidized loan and an unsubsidized loan. (Answer: A subsidized loan is based on financial need and an unsubsidized loan is not. With a subsidized loan, the federal government pays the interest incurred while the student is in school, and for a grace period after graduation.)

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