The Student LoanDown lost one of its own this past weekend. Our blog designer and friend, the fabulously talented Vincent Lau, passed away on Saturday.
To put it plainly, we're devastated.
I'm usually overflowing with words, but these days I'm having a tough time putting my thoughts together. So I'd like to share with you the following tribute to Vincent, written by my colleague, Ed Terpening:
I remember the first time I met Vincent, when he interviewed for a position on my team. He smiled the whole time! I thought...is he nervous? Does he know something I don't? Is he really THIS genuinely happy?
More than a year later in the job, I can tell you that sunny guy was Vincent — which makes his sudden passing this last weekend at just 31 years old all the more difficult for us at Wells Fargo.
As a reader of this blog, you may not think you know Vincent, but you do. Look at this page — everything but the words are his: the quirky, crowded student desktop and clear navigation. What you see on this blog is the tip of the iceberg, as he contributed in many creative ways that you never saw.
Speaking of desktops, his own messy desk says a lot about him. He was a social "foodie," always bringing in the strangest treats, from Tokyo to Texas. I recall asking him to tidy his work area a bit, but it just wasn't him. Rather than take the time to do that, he'd ask a friend how their game went over the weekend, or help solve a technical problem that he could have easily passed on to someone else.
That was Vincent in a nutshell: people, food, and enjoying life were #1 — cleaning his desk could wait. Well, I've come around. My desk is far too neat. He was a guy who had the right priorities.
Our thoughts are now with Vincent's family in Sugarland, Texas. I want them to know how much he meant to all of us. Of course he was more than just our designer and coworker, he was our friend. Already I miss his mischievous laugh, his wicked cool fashion sense, and his passion for just about everything. I miss his attempts at mocking my Midwestern accent — oh, you betcha! I miss his wacky Facebook messages and his emails filled with exclamation points. I miss fighting him for the last almond chocolate chip cookie. Even if he won, he'd always share.
Goodbye, Vincent — and be at peace.
Hi Staci,
I just got my first Wells fargo student loan payment statement, suprise suprise, there is no interest rate on there. Is this legal?
Hi Shar--Thanks for your question. I apologize for the delay in getting back to you; I had to do a little bit of research first.
While I don’t know all the specifics of your situation, I can tell you that in general, most borrowers have more than one student loan and receive what’s called a “combined billing statement.” Statements may include multiple loans, so they don't list individual interest rates.
However, the interest rate is legally disclosed in the disclosure statement you received at the time you took out your student loan(s). It’s important to keep all of your student loan paperwork!
You also can find your student loan interest rates online (either through Wells Fargo Online Banking or through www.eloansecure.com, depending on which type of loans you have) or by calling our service center at 1-800-658-3567.
Hope that helps. If you have additional questions that are more specific, please feel free to send us an email.
What happens when a student loan is granted and the check is sent directly to the student, cashed and used for purposes other than school? I graduate in May and have had to take out additional financial aid to attend school. I was supposed to graduate in 2006 but will graduate in 2009 instead. I am unable to pay the original loan. Is their anyone I can talk to in order to arrange some type of payment plan?
Kerry, even if you used your student loan money for purposes other than school, you are still responsible for repaying the loan. But the worst thing to do is ignore the situation, because doing so could result in delinquency and default--both of which could seriously damage your credit rating. That's the last thing you need as a new college grad!
Call your lender (if it's Wells Fargo, the phone number is 1-800-658-3567). Lenders don't want students to default on their loans either. We'll help you figure out how much you owe and work out a repayment plan.
Hope that helps. If you need additional guidance, the financial aid office at your school also could be a good resource.