For the first time in my life, I’m afraid to open my email. As a first-generation college student, I knew next to nothing about the student loan repayment system or how I’d ever manage to cover my tuition bill.

My uncertainty only heightened in the wake of the global pandemic. Food instability, financial hardship and virtual learning affected not only myself but millions of students across the country. COVID-19 ignited the flame that awoke much of the nation to the struggles of higher education accessibility. The University of California, Los Angeles Health conducted a study in Sept. 2021 finding that 93% of surveyed university students struggled to deal with pandemic-related stressors; a total of 44% noted financial burdens, while 18% faced racial or ethnic discrimination.

As only one person, I wasn’t sure I could do much to change the circumstance I experienced. It was not until I made connections to the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) as an intern that I truly began to see the pandemic as a lamp, rather than a wildfire. While working with NYPIRG, I have pushed for higher education accessibility initiatives that look to expand and protect assistance programs and those they serve. The widespread use of video conferencing as a result of the pandemic has made action even more accessible.

During NYPIRG’s Higher Education Week Action, for example, other students and I were able to meet with New York State Senator Rachel May and her office over Zoom to bring stories from real campus students in order to make the students’ voices heard.

Alongside the maintenance and expansion of opportunity programs, more state funding for “Bundy” Aid and the expansion of the Tuition Assistance Program is an essential means of continuing higher education accessibility. With the final New York State budget due April 1, it is essential that the movement is made now! The power of a person comes from our actions; it’s more than just taking the time to hear my story but taking the time to let others know your own.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a life-changing event that burned the bridges of our expectations of the future. I and many other students faced that reality first hand. Though the future continues to seem uncertain, the light of our past will guide us.

Melaica Delgado, Class of 2022