Dear Higher Education,
Do you really want the best and brightest? Sometimes it seems like you only want the richest and whitest.
You are supposed to offer such a benefit to this world – education is touted as the key to a better life. But, looking around, it is easy to see that education is a privilege, and most certainly not a right.
Those that can afford education typically already have a “better” life.
Rich parents, affluent neighborhoods, private schools… all holding their hands and leading them to you. But if you are born in a low-income area, with poor parents and an underfunded high school, what are you supposed to do?
I get it. You offer grants and scholarships for those kids once they arrive. But don’t you understand that just to learn and grow and complete that application, they have to do a lot more than just survive?
The battle every day to get an education without the necessary resources is a struggle. Building a good resume is a lot harder when getting food, using the internet, and never having a ride home from school are all things they have to juggle.
“But what can we do?” – Thank you for asking! Is donating money and resources to the surrounding areas really all that tasking?
You have books and internet access to millions of publications. You have resources and alumni from all around the nation! Why not reach out and help some schools that really need salvation?
“Can I even afford college?” – Give them the answer. Then look back in pride one day when they discover the cure for cancer, or become your school’s next chancellor.
To higher education: play a part from the beginning. And to all the students out there: just keep swimming.
Get with the movement,
A Struggling Student