Gia's Voice
How have increased tuition fees impacted you and your family?:
I started at State right out of High School, in 1999. One of the reasons I chose SFSU was that I was putting myself through college without help from my parents or family. I could work part time and through work study to cover the costs of living and paying tuition. After taking time off to start a family I came back to a program that was so full I couldn't get the classes I needed, even as an upperclassman. I came back to tuition so high that we could barely afford food for our family during the months tuition had to be paid.
We are a single income family and we have three children. Finishing my degree and working towards employment will make a huge difference to my family's well being and care. I may not be the typical undergrad but the continued fee increases mean that, like so many others, I may not achieve my goal of graduation.
What are you studying at SF State and what do you hope to do once you graduate?:
After years of trying to get the classes I needed in the Health Education department I have transfered to Women's Studies. I hope to continue my studies in Gerontology and work in elder care and palliative care once I am finished with school.
Gia S., 30 San Francisco
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