Student Loan Free

There are so many sad and bad things in the world today, but I have a bit of good news. For the first time since 1987, today I am student loan free! 31 years ago when I was a student at Lorain County Community College, I borrowed $2058. It took me paying a total of $9425 over more than three decades to finally rid myself of this albatross. I'm grateful that Pell Grants, a Dean's scholarship and a supportive mom prevented me from having to borrow more. But my obligation was a mere drop in the ocean compared to what many of my friends have had to borrow to pay for their educations. Student loan reform is essential. And free college or trade school for young Americans is as doable as free high school if we only want to make it a priority.

Update 12/5/2016

self portrait at the Clinic today

We found out this morning that here's no more infection in Geri's lungs. Then she got up and walked a few steps for the first time in about a week. So hopefully they'll let her out of ICU and reactivate her on the liver transplant list today. Interesting that my Kindle tried to autocorrect her name to "Hero."

One good thing has come of Geri's illness: it looks like the US Department of Education is gonna completely discharge her $6000+ in outstanding student loan debt. Of course we'd much rather have her healthy and owe the money.

Loaner

I was quoted in reference to my student loan travails in this recent issue of the Lorain County Community College Collegian:

https://collegian.lorainccc.edu/2014/10/22/student-debt/