Ending
Perkins loans would block the path to college for hundreds of thousands of
students.
Three
months ago, I walked across the stage at the University of Mississippi to claim
my Bachelor’s diploma. Throwing my cap into the Oxford summer air, I felt a
sense of accomplishment, but also a sense of uncertainty.
What’s
next for me?
My
long-term goal is to help expand access to college for under-represented
communities. To realize this dream, I’ll need a graduate degree, following the
path of education trailblazers before me. In April, I received acceptance
letters from several grad schools. But with little assets to my name, my dreams
might be at risk.
Earlier
in the year, the federal government announced that it was shutting down
its Perkins loan program, which provides low-interest loans to students for
college and grad school. Unless Congress takes action, this path to higher
education for low-income students like me will hit a dead end as the new school year begins.
Scrapping
Perkins loans isn’t just a problem for my generation. It jeopardizes the
ability of American workers to compete in the global economy in the 21st century.
The Center for American Progress found that investing in education pushes countries to be more economically competitive than others. To truly have a fair shot today, as President Barack Obama likes to say, obtaining a degree past high school is crucial.
Perkins
loans can help students at the bottom of the economic ladder take steps towards
breaking the poverty cycle. With a 5 percent
fixed interest rate and generous grace period for beginning repayment,
Perkins loans are more affordable than most other loan options.
Every
year, half a million students rely on this program to help them
earn a Bachelor’s degree, attend law school, enter medical school — or go
wherever their dreams take them. It’s not morally right or economically smart
to reserve certain careers to the wealthiest individuals.
Unfortunately,
the demise of Perkins loans isn’t getting the attention it should.
With
student debt totaling over $1 trillion, politicians and presidential candidates from both sides of
the aisle are claiming that easing the debt burden is a top priority for the
2016 election.
Republican
presidential candidate Marco Rubio even included the issue of student debt in
his campaign launch, bringing attention to the “young Americans,
unable to start a career, a business or a family, because they owe thousands in
student loans.”
But
presidential hopefuls are silent on the impending closure of the Perkins loan
program.
Lawmakers
should stop just talking about the burden of student debt and actually do
something about it. Empty words mean empty pockets for students. It’s
disappointing to see the likes of Senator Elizabeth Warren, who recently claimed, “Every student needs a debt-free option,”
fail to introduce a bill that might save these loans.
I
called student debt advocacy groups to find out what they were doing to fight
for the renewal of the Perkins program. The short answer? Nothing. They either
were unaware of the Perkins shutdown or expressed optimism that Congress will
act soon enough.
Unfortunately,
hope only goes so far. Hope alone won’t open the door for students to
participate in classroom discussion, organize peers around important justice
movements, and grow as thought leaders. Hope won’t pay tuition bills.
That’s
why we need action.
Guaranteeing
a steady supply of low-interest loans and grants alone won’t make higher
education more affordable for everyone. Only curbing spiraling tuition tabs can
do that. But until an alternative solution emerges, the Perkins loan and other
programs like it are crucial lifelines.
For
me and so many other American college and grad students, the Perkins program is
more than just a line in the government’s budget. It’s a promise of a brighter
future.
Generous
academic scholarships helped me earn my Bachelor’s degree while I worked 20
hours a week. Without a Perkins loan, I may need to put the next step in my
education on hold.
Christine
Dickason, an OtherWords intern at the Institute for
Policy Studies, is a graduate of the University of Mississippi. Distributed via OtherWords.org