A Leap to the Future for our Students

By Diana Guardado ’23

Oprah Winfrey once said, “The true meaning of courage is to be afraid—and then, with your knees knocking and your heart racing, take the leap anyway.” I took my first major leap when I became a locker attendant at age 15. As one of the youngest employees entering the work field for the first time, I had to grow comfortable with the unknown. Despite my lack of experience, I dedicated my time to cultivate the discipline and passion in serving others. One of the disciplines I acquired involved depositing all my checks directly to my savings account with the understanding that “one day” the money would become a necessity. Today, as a proud Menlo College student pursuing a degree in political science and public policy, I am grateful to have created a safety net of funds to cover a small portion of my higher education. Many students at Menlo College and elsewhere rely on their personal savings, full-time jobs, and student loans to float above water during their years in college.

With another leap of faith in my abilities, I became a student leader for the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU). I represent independent non-profit colleges and universities by advocating for issues faced by our student population. Among those issues is the need for an accessible and equitable federal financial aid program that will empower students to pursue their academic and career goals. Besides personal savings, I benefit from Cal and Pell Grants. While working closely with the leaders at AICCU, I learned that over 28,000 Cal Grant recipients and 57,000 Pell Grant recipients also depend on federal grants, internal, and external scholarships to afford tuition and housing.

With this newly acquired knowledge and my growing interest in financial aid, I earned a speaking opportunity at the California Student Aid Commission’s “Statewide Student Leadership” event in September 2021. I informed the audience about the recent marginal increase in Pell Grant funding that has created an ongoing conversation among educators and politicians. The AICCU’s “Double the Pell” campaign, which I co-chaired, attracted the attention of Congress and the Biden administration as part of the conversation about furthering these investments. I called our commissioners to ask those closest to the issues for guidance in creating an equitable and accommodating financial aid package. As a collective, we should intentionally take courageous leaps to secure the academic and financial future of our generation and those following. Otherwise, further barriers will make it impossible for many students to jump.

To continue the momentum behind the increases in academic funding, students, professors, and alumni need to highlight their personal stories. Our most powerful tools are our own voices.

Photo by Caitlin Sorensen ’19