The rising cost of higher
education is a serious problem in the United States, and highly visible
at UMass Dartmouth. Many students work full time in addition to attending
classes, doing homework and getting involved in their community. Student debt
can be a serious burden while in school, and an even more serious hindrance
upon graduation – when student loan payments begin.
Student Debt Alert intern
Kerrin Forgette organized an event in September to gather student comments
about debt and was upset with her findings. Many students she interviewed have
debt levels higher than the national average of $7,500 upon graduation, which
is no small amount itself.
In an effort to make the US
Department of Higher Education pay attention to the lack of sufficient student
loan assistance, Forgette and Student Senate member Brandon Lozeau traveled
from North Dartmouth to Washington,
D.C., to testify before the Board
on Wednesday, November 8.
Forgette and Lozeau shared
their stories and asked the US Department of Education to support college
graduates by easing up on the financial strain of student loan repayment. As
Lozeau looks to graduate school abroad in 2007, he is seriously concerned about
his accumulating debt that may limit his options. Forgette hopes that her work
to sound the alarm about student debt will mean relief for her, and future
students at UMass Dartmouth. Both
students greatly enjoyed their whirlwind tour of the nation’s capitol and
remarked on how impressed the US Department of Education was with their visit
from Massachusetts.
“One Board member sought us out after the hearing to shake our hands and thank
us personally for journeying down to express our concern,” said Lozeau.
