This lifted a huge financial burden on the 85% of its students that are low- and middle-income.
Biden campaigned on student-debt forgiveness for all borrowers but has not acted on that yet.
While graduating from college is a significant achievement, many people 45 million people, that is are held back by student debt except for this spring s Contra Costa Community College graduates.
The Contra Costa College Foundation announced on Monday that as a surprise graduation gift for May graduates, it had paid off all their remaining student debt through its Finish Line Fund. Denver7 News reported that more than 60 students at the Northern California community college received an email from the foundation saying all of their remaining student debt had been cleared, making a huge impact for those graduates, given that 85% of students that attend CCC are low- and middle-income.
California College Forgives Student Debt of Entire Graduating Class
On 5/25/21 at 11:21 AM EDT
A community college in Northern California has given its students an incredible graduating gift.
Contra Costa College has forgiven the outstanding debt of more than 60 students as they graduated this week, as part of the Finish Line Fund.
When the news was announced in April, Contra Costa College Interim President Damon A. Bell said in a press release: Imagine the sigh of relief these students are taking right now. The Finish Line Fund is another example of how the Foundation is stepping up for our students during this difficult pandemic.
By Kathy Chouteau
With graduation day in sight, the Contra Costa College Foundation has just given Contra Costa College’s May 2021 graduating class the ultimate gift by erasing all of its leftover debt, clearing away outstanding fees owed to the college. With this move, the foundation has ensured through The Finish Line Fund that no students set to graduate in May will be denied a diploma due to money owed to the school.
“Imagine the sigh of relief these students are taking right now. The Finish Line Fund is another example of how the foundation is stepping up for our students during this difficult pandemic,” said Contra Costa College Interim President Damon A. Bell. “By erasing this debt for over 60 students, the foundation is empowering students to move forward, whether it’s onto their continued educational journeys or meaningful careers.”
A retired science teacher plans to complete seven charity running challenges based on the New Seven Wonders of the World to mark his 70th birthday year.
Keith Passingham, 69, will run around Southend’s 23-mile (37km) Millennium Walk in a challenge based on the trails to the ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in southern Peru.
The keen runner also aims to complete 2,340ft (713m) of ascent – the height above sea level of Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue – within a single run around his hometown of Rayleigh, Essex.
He is devising a challenge for each of the New Seven Wonders of the World: the Great Wall of China; Chichen Itza in Mexico; Petra in Jordan; Machu Picchu; Christ the Redeemer; the Colosseum; and the Taj Mahal.