Kamala Harris Promises to Forgive Student Loan Debt for HBCU Graduates
|
Posted By: Will Moss on September 10, 2020 Harris promises to offer free tuition for low-income students at public and historically Black colleges Democratic VP candidate also pledges to forgive student-loan debt for HBCU graduates who earn under $125,000 a year Democratic vice-presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris promised Thursday that a Biden-Harris administration would make college tuition free at public schools and private historically Black colleges and universities for students whose families’ income is below $125,000 a year, and pledged student-loan debt forgiveness for some graduates of HBCUs. “In relation to the history of HBCUs, [students] decide to take on a profession of service, which often does not pay as well as if they go into the private sector and do other things,” Harris said at a roundtable discussion held at Florida Memorial University, a historically Black private university. “So for those students who come out and have jobs that pay less than $125,000, student-loan debt will also be forgiven.” Harris also promised to invest $70 billion in historically Black colleges and universities. Additionally, she said that two-year college programs would be free for low-income Americans. “We want to support our young people for whatever they pursue by way of education after high school,” Harris said. “For some that will be a college and university, for some it will be a two-year program, or an apprenticeship, or something of that nature, and we want to make sure that we support them in that quest.” Harris made the remarks in response to Jaffus Hardrick, president of Florida Memorial University, who said that “we are literally working on a shoestring budget” amid the economic decline caused by the pandemic that has forced many students to reconsider attending college. During her short-lived presidential campaign, Harris proposed making community college free. Her remarks came in the key swing state of Florida, where 29 electoral votes are up for grabs, the most among any of the major swing states. Former President Barack Obama claimed the state by a thin margin in the 2008 and 2012 elections. President Donald Trump, however, won it in the 2016 election. Before addressing the roundtable, Harris took a jab at Trump, citing the interview he had with Bob Woodward where he said “I wanted to always play it down,” referring to the threat of the looming pandemic. “He suggested that to wear a mask is a sign of weakness as opposed to a sign of strength,” she said. “This is the president of the United States.” Earlier in the day, Harris visited Doral, a neighborhood of Miami with a high concentration of Venezuelans. Two days prior, Trump also visited South Florida, where he signed an order extending a moratorium on offshore drilling around Florida’s Gulf Coast. Biden is scheduled to visit the Sunshine State on Sept. 15. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
Will Moss CEO, HBCU CONNECT Hampton University class of 1995 Member Since June 1999 |
Comments
More From This Author
| Congrats to Juan, a Latinx Candidate that Landed Dream Job at a Recent Microsoft HBCU CONNECT Event! |
Latest News
 |
Meet Dr. Arlyne Simon: Join her at Intel and become your own Intel Super heroSystems engineer Arlyne Simon manages the development of supercomputers used in everything from aerospace to biomedical engineering. She says the only thing better than having interesting, challenging ...more
Reggie Culpepper • 47 Views • July 29th, 2021 |
 |
Alabama State Honored with 2020-21 ABCA Team Academic Excellence AwardAlabama State was one of 580 high school, junior college and college programs recognized by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) for their work in the classroom.
The Hornets, the only m ...more
Kennedy Williams • 52 Views • July 29th, 2021 |
 |
Hampton University Receives $75,000 Preservation Grant to Sustain Historic Mural Housed on CampusThe Hampton University Museum is will receive $75,000 from the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to assist with the preservation of Charles White's historic 1943 mural “The Contribution o ...more
Kennedy Williams • 72 Views • July 29th, 2021 |
 |
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.® Contributes $1.6 Million to Black Colleges and UniversitiesAlpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, in partnership with the Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF), has presented its third round of endowment funds in the amount of $1.6 million to 35 additi ...more
Kennedy Williams • 213 Views • July 29th, 2021 |
 |
Tougaloo College Uses CARES Act Funds to Assist Students with Their Debts and FeesANOTHA ONE!
Yet another HBCU has opted to use CARES Act funds to helps its students when it comes to paying for school. Tougaloo College recently announced that their students will be able to benef ...more
Kennedy Williams • 115 Views • July 28th, 2021 |
Popular News
