UC Davis Student Group Helping Other Students In Need
DAVIS (CB13) - The rising cost of a college education is a lot to swallow, but now a group of UC Davis students is reaching out to help peers clear some financial hurdles.
The cost for a student attending UC Davis can top $30,000 a year.
"We Are Aggie Pride" is an organization created by students to help other students by providing emergency funding to their peers who run into financial trouble.
"We're helping students with tuition, textbooks," Zena Brown said.
"We thought we needed a student solution, directed by students, helped by students for students," the group's Rajiv Narayan said.
Narayan says the cause struck a chord.
"There was a quarter here where I was working three part-time jobs and taking something like seven classes because I needed to graduate a quarter early because that would save me $4,000," he said.
And his story is far from unique.
Students fed up with rising tuition costs let their voices be heard last year with "Occupy UC Davis," protesting what they viewed as a fatal blow to their education.
Students also last year opened a food pantry on campus for those who can't find their next meal.
Students say it's all part of a new financial awareness, one unlike anything they've seen before.
"I think students are taking such direct action because they know they can make a difference," Brown said.
Cash-strapped students can visit the We Are Aggie Pride website to fill out an application for aid. The group says it already have more than $5,000 to hand out and hopes to raise more than $25,000 by the end of its first year.
Anyone who donates receives a free T-shirt and discounts at Davis stores.
