By Edgar Montoya, 2021 graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, College Possible Omaha alumnus, and a former NCAN student advocacy fellow
I believe in creating greater access to higher education opportunities and fixing the current flaws within our system because I personally know the obstacles and struggles many students face in their pursuit of a degree.
As a first-generation college graduate, my parents stressed the importance of education to me and my siblings from a young age. Though my parents supported me in every way they possibly could, they could not always help with my schoolwork, college and
scholarship applications, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and other aspects to college-going. I had much to figure out on my own. Nonetheless, my parents’ enormous sacrifices motivate me to make their hardships worthwhile.
Attending college can feel out of reach for students like me, due to underlying circumstances.
Students often need supports, such as those provided by college access and success programs and organizations — as College Possible did for me — and advising on financing postsecondary education, such as opportunities
for scholarships, state/federal financial aid, and work-study. Through this support, for example, I was fortunate to receive a scholarship from the Susan T. Buffett Foundation.
Students must be well-informed about their financial aid options, such as student loans and other forms of assistance. Americans now hold over $1.5 trillion in student loan debt and millions of student borrowers have defaulted on their loans. These facts
alone make clear that we must reduce barriers and burden in higher education financing.
Also, there has been more public attention on unethical practices in the student loan industry that range from issues in lending transparency to improper servicing. Predatory lending can most impact students
from low-income backgrounds, students of color, those first in their families to attend college, and veterans.
Policymakers need to double the maximum Pell Grant to increase college success and mitigate (or eliminate) reliance on student loans.
Increasing funding for the Pell Grant would go a long way to addressing these issues. Doubling the maximum grant would have a substantial impact on me, my peers, and my community. As a recipient of the Pell Grant, I began my college experience at the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln without financial worries, devoting my full attention to my studies.
No one should be denied a higher education based on their income or ability to afford it.
Institutions can help their students by advocating for Double Pell and providing supports.
Students also need a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming college community where they have peers from similar backgrounds and supports that reduce existing barriers to their success. Through financial aid and social/emotional supports, universities can
create learning environments where students thrive and succeed in their endeavors.
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