Shop
 Explore 

Education & Information

Jill Biden says president will 'make sure that everyone has access to free community college'

Jill Biden says president will 'make sure that everyone has access to free community college'

via The Hill / YouTube

Education is one of the most reliable ways for people to climb the economic ladder. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that in 2018, college graduates earned weekly wages that were 80% higher than those of high school graduates.

Americans with a bachelor's degree have median weekly earnings of $1,173, compared to just $712 a week for those who have a high school diploma.

One of the most affordable ways for people to get a college degree is to first start at community college. However, only 42% of first-time college students who attend a community college eventually complete a degree within eight years.

One of the major reasons these students fall through the cracks is the cost of their education. Studies show that graduation rates increase dramatically at community colleges with better public funding.

That's why the Biden Administration is pushing for free community college as a way to improve America's economic standing after the COVID-19 pandemic.

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, a longtime community college professor, reiterated the Biden Administration's goal of free community college in taped remarks aired Tuesday during a virtual legislative summit hosted by the Association of Community College Trustees and the American Association of Community Colleges.

FLOTUS: "We're going to make sure that everyone has access to free community college"www.youtube.com

"We have to get this done. And we have to do it now," Dr. Biden said. "That's why we're going to make sure that everyone has access to free community college and training programs."

"We're going to make sure students have the support they need to cross that finish line," she said. "We're going to invest in programs that prepare our workers for jobs of the future."

Dr. Biden continues to teach virtually during the pandemic. She is the first first lady to have a paying job outside of the White House.

In the 21st century, twelve years of school isn’t enough. That’s why under the Biden-Harris plan, community college… https://t.co/E5FoVr5Tfc
— Joe Biden (@Joe Biden) 1608776400.0

Last December, then-President-elect Joe Biden shared his pledge to make community and public colleges free. "That's why under the Biden-Harris plan, community college will be free — and public colleges and universities will be tuition-free for families earning less than $125,000 a year," he tweeted.

Biden's Twitter announcement echoed pledges listed on his campaign website, which spoke to "invest[ing] in community colleges and training to improve student success" for the benefit of the middle class.

"All of these proposals will be implemented in partnership with states as well as school faculty and staff. Educators must play a key role in decisions affecting teaching and learning," read a statement on his webpage.

The announcement comes as community college enrollment is on a steady rise. Between 2000 and 2017 undergraduate enrollment in community colleges grew from $13.2 million to $16.8 million. It's expected to rise another 3% over the next seven years.

When the free college debate comes around, cost will no doubt be at the forefront of the discussion. But that assumes we can attach a price tag to the benefit of living in a society that places a higher value on education. A better-educated populace is one with greater opportunities and can allow for greater aspirations.

The bigger question should be, what's the cost of living in a society where many don't have access to a quality education?

From Your Site Articles

Related Articles Around the Web

Meet the 18-year-old advocating for teen mental health, one inspiring podcast at a time

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

See on Instagram

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.

From Your Site Articles

The Gen X 'stay at home mom' crisis is real, but what's the solution?

Some moms in their 40s feel like they were lied to about what their "resume gap" would mean.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

40-something moms who stayed home to be with their kids are finding themselves in uncharted waters.

A few generations ago, parents had pretty clearly defined roles, with the dad generally being the breadwinner and the mom being the homemaker/stay-at-home mother. Then women's rights movement came along, empowering women in the workplace, ushering in the era of two working parents and producing an entire generation of "latchkey kids."

Now those Gen X latchkey kids are parenting Gen Z, with the pendulum of working motherhood having swung somewhat to the middle. We were raised to believe we could be anything we dreamed of being and that we didn't have to choose between being a mom and having a career. Gen X also became mothers during the heyday of parenting self-help books that impressed upon us the importance of attachment and hands-on childrearing, as well as the era of super-scheduled kids, whose activities alone require a full-time manager.

As a result, those of us in our 40s have raised our kids straddling two worlds—the one where women can have all of the career success we desire and the one where we can choose to be stay-at-home moms who do all the things. At first, we were told we could have it all, but when the impossibility of that became clear, we were told, "Well, you can have it all, just not at the same time."

But as many moms are finding as their kids start leaving the nest, even that isn't the full truth.

Keep ReadingShow less

Single woman shares the hilarious 'deal breaker' she uses when she doesn't want a second date

Jo Brundza has mastered the art of painlessly getting out of a second date by making them reject her.

via JBrundz/TikTok and Frank Cone/Pexels

How Jo Brundza gets out of a date.

It's uncomfortable for people to tell someone they met for a first date that they aren’t interested in a second one because nobody enjoys hurting another person’s feelings. TikTokker Jo Brundza has mastered the art of painlessly getting out of a second date by making them reject her.

How does she do it? Once she realizes she doesn’t want to see them again, she rants about the moon.

“From that realization and on, I spend the rest of the date trying to convince the other person that I don’t think the moon is real,” she says. Now, many folks out there incorrectly believe that the moon landing was faked, but she goes a step further by saying the massive object doesn’t exist at all.

Keep ReadingShow less